Bradley Barcola ended his goal drought in spectacular fashion on Wednesday, netting a hat-trick to lead Liverpool to a chaotic 6-3 victory over LASK in the Champions League. The forward, who joined from Paris Saint-Germain in August for a blockbuster 123 million pounds ($161m), had faced mounting pressure following a series of lackluster displays. His treble at the Raiffeisen Arena marked his first goals for the club in his seventh appearance, providing a significant lift for manager Andoni Iraola. Barcola had come under fire for some lacklustre performances since his blockbuster 123 million pounds ($161m) move from Paris Saint-Germain in August. But the France forward finally started to live up to his hefty price tag with his first goals for Liverpool in his seventh appearance. This was an indication of what they can become under the former Bournemouth boss, although he will still be concerned about their defensive issues, after some disjointed displays at the start of Iraola’s reign.
The win ensures Liverpool maintains a perfect record in this season’s competition, following their opening victory against Atletico Madrid. For Iraola, the result was a vital response to Sunday’s 3-0 defeat by Manchester City, his first loss in eight games. Despite missing key players such as Alexander Isak, Cody Gakpo, and Dominik Szoboszlai due to injury, and choosing to rest starters like Virgil van Dijk and Alexis Mac Allister, the manager saw his squad deliver a dominant offensive performance. The pair repaid Iraola’s faith with a much-needed display of their undoubted qualities.
Ronald Araujo opened the scoring in the 22nd minute with his first goal for the club, a thumping header from a Kostas Tsimikas corner. Less than two minutes later, Barcola extended the lead after an incisive run by Rio Ngumoha. Barcola’s second came in the 37th minute, following a brilliant passing exchange with Florian Wirtz, who remains a key figure in Iraola’s plans despite recent struggles. The manager has publicly maintained “100 percent” trust in both Barcola and Wirtz to lead the attack during this demanding stretch of six matches in 18 days. Forcing Iraola to make changes in a bid to save his players from burnout, the trip to Linz was the second of six games in 18 days for Liverpool. The on-loan Barcelona defender’s goal was swiftly followed by one for Barcola 96 seconds later.
Jeremie Frimpong, who also arrived with high expectations last year, contributed to the scoring in the 51st minute, heading home a lofted cross from Tsimikas. While LASK’s Robert Ljubicic narrowed the gap in the 63rd minute with a goal assisted by Yvan Dibango, Barcola completed his treble shortly after, converting a pass from Frimpong in the 66th minute. Lewis Koumas later added his first Champions League goal with a powerful 72nd-minute strike.
Liverpool’s defensive consistency faltered in the closing stages as Florian Flecker struck twice in quick succession, with headers in the 75th and 77th minutes against a rotation-heavy defensive line that included the late introductions of Van Dijk and Joe Gomez. While the late lapses will likely concern Iraola, the match served as a clinical showcase for his attackers. Moving forward, the manager will look for his squad to maintain this intensity as they continue to navigate a dense fixture list. Now Iraola will demand they produce that level of intensity and quality on a regular basis.
