Bradley Barcola broke his goal drought in emphatic fashion, netting a hat-trick as Liverpool secured a thrilling 6-3 victory over LASK in their Champions League clash on Wednesday. The forward’s performance marked a significant turnaround following criticism over his early displays since his high-profile transfer from Paris Saint-Germain.
Since arriving at Liverpool in August for a staggering £123 million ($161 million), Barcola had struggled to find the back of the net. However, on his seventh appearance for the club, the French international finally delivered, opening his Liverpool account with two goals before halftime at the Raiffeisen Arena.
The scoring was initially sparked by Ronald Araujo, who opened the tally with his first goal for Liverpool, putting the visitors ahead in the first half. Barcola’s brace helped extend the lead, setting the tone for an intense, high-scoring match.
Dominance Maintained Despite Strong Opposition
After the break, Jeremie Frimpong added Liverpool’s fourth goal, continuing the momentum against the Austrian champions. Barcola then completed his hat-trick, cementing his status as the standout player of the night. Adding to the scoring spree, Lewis Koumas also found the net, marking his first Champions League goal and helping Liverpool maintain their perfect record in this season’s competition.
This victory came as a much-needed boost for Liverpool’s manager Iraola, who had recently suffered his first defeat in eight matches when Manchester City, currently leading the Premier League, defeated Liverpool 3-0 at Anfield just days earlier. Despite the loss, Iraola expressed unwavering confidence in Barcola and fellow forward Florian Wirtz, who has faced challenges since his transfer from Bayer Leverkusen last year.
Compounding the pressure, Liverpool were without key players Alexander Isak, Cody Gakpo, and Dominik Szoboszlai due to injuries, all of whom missed the trip to Austria. This absence increased expectations on Barcola and the squad to deliver on the big stage, a challenge the French forward answered decisively.