Lapadula hits five goals in six games, now faces his real test against Alianza Lima

Five goals in six games. That's the start Gianluca Lapadula has put together since arriving at Universitario, and it's already enough to explain why the club's fans are dreaming of a title again. But the real test hasn't come yet: it's called Alianza Lima, and it's waiting on matchday 9.

On paper, signing the "Bambino" for the 2026 Clausura Tournament looked like an interesting gamble. On the field, it turned into something more: Lapadula won the starting job almost immediately and found in Alex Valera an attacking partner who has changed the face of Hector Cuper's team. The partnership is already showing signs of real identity, though it still has to face the toughest test of the short calendar.

Before that, Universitario has to get through two matches that look more manageable: a road trip to face UTC in matchday 7 and a home date against Comerciantes Unidos in matchday 8. The main event, though, comes right after: the team will travel to Matute to take on Alianza Lima in matchday 9. That's where, more than in any other game, we'll find out whether this attacking duo is ready to compete for the Clausura and, further down the road, chase the national title.

Lapadula's scoring touch, goal by goal

The Italian-Peruvian forward has played all six Clausura matches, but his finishing didn't really show up until matchday 2, when he gave Universitario the win over Cusco FC with a late goal. He struck again against Sporting Cristal in matchday 4, added another on the road against FC Cajamarca, and scored a brace against Los Chankas.

Lapadula joined Universitario after running out of minutes at Italy's Spezia and decided to have his first experience as a club player in Peruvian soccer. The decision, at least so far, has worked out perfectly: he's already one of Cuper's trusted pieces. The player himself explained how quickly he felt like part of the club.

I feel identified with the club, even though I haven't been here long. Plus, they were the first ones to come looking for me to join the team.Gianluca Lapadula

Valera, from the shadows to a partnership

Valera's year had its ups and downs. In the Apertura he didn't face much competition since the signing of Sekou Gassama didn't work out as expected, and that, oddly enough, wasn't always good for his own performance. With Lapadula's arrival, the Pomalca-born forward found a partner up front rather than a threat to his spot, and it shows: his level has been climbing back toward what he displayed in the first half of the year.

The numbers back up that improvement. Valera has played 27 matches this season (15 in the Apertura, 6 in the Clausura and 6 in the Copa Libertadores) and has scored 12 goals in Liga 1 (8 in the Apertura and 4 in the Clausura), on top of 2 goals in the continental tournament. Taken as a whole, it's a year that can be called a positive one.

Cuper has gone back to the three-man backline, a system that also lets him keep Lapadula and Valera together up front. Against Alianza Lima, at Matute, it'll become much clearer whether that approach holds up when the opponent really pushes back.