Loaned to Galatasaray this winter, Noa Lang found his spark against Juventus in the first leg of the Champions League play-offs.
The winger bagged a brace against the Italian giants, truly marking his arrival after some solid domestic performances and setting the tone for what he can bring to the team.
On an even bigger stage, the Dutchman now has the chance to make an even bigger impact.
"A player you come to the stadium to see"
The split between Lang and Antonio Conte made headlines this winter. After six months at Napoli, the attacking talent managed just one goal in 18 Serie A matches. Bought for 28 million euros, both the club and its coach expected much more from him.
Frustrated, he chose to join Galatasaray to bounce back and prove his worth, and he's doing just that.
But the winger, who claimed when he arrived that he was "a player you come to the stadium to see and enjoy watching", still has plenty to prove in the round of 16 against Liverpool.
His ability to dribble, drive forward, and exploit space is clear to see, and will be crucial for breaking through the Premier League side's defensive line.
While he's adapted well to his new team though, as shown by a 7.2 average across his first five games in Flashscore's ratings system, consistency remains a challenge.
For instance, he was less impressive in the second leg of the playoffs at Juventus Stadium. He struggled, winning only 50% of his dribbles and not attempting a single shot.
A huge opportunity
Despite his obvious talent, Lang still needs to really prove himself.
Since his standout performance against Juve, he has played only two halves in five matches across all competitions, and was left on the bench against Besiktas this weekend (Galatasaray won 1-0).
He always tries to contribute offensively, but sometimes fades from games. He needs to work even harder to turn things around, even if it means coming off the bench and changing the course of the match.
It looks like he'll have the chance to prove his worth from the off against Liverpool though.
It seems that Okan Buruk has decided to rely on the Dutchman's individual talent, with several Turkish media outlets, including Fanatik.com, reporting that the two had a discussion after Saturday's derby to define the "crucial" role the forward will play.
If Lang quickly falls back into old habits, his playing time could suffer even more, but if he delivers, he'll take his resurgence to the next level.