Bradley Barcola scored his first hat-trick for Liverpool on Wednesday, breaking a scoreless run since his summer move from Paris Saint-Germain as the Reds beat LASK 6-3 in the Champions League. The £123 million ($166 million) signing had gone without a goal or an assist in his opening appearances for the club before delivering a three-goal performance in Austria.
Barcola’s breakthrough came alongside another headline name. Florian Wirtz, who has faced recent criticism over his form, set up Barcola’s second goal of the night and was singled out for his performance in the victory, according to Sky Sports.
Barcola’s Hat-Trick Unfolds
Liverpool took the lead in the 22nd minute when Ronald Araujo headed in a Konstantinos Tsimikas corner. Barcola struck just 96 seconds later for his first goal in a Liverpool shirt. He doubled his tally before halftime, finishing off a pass from Wirtz to put the Reds firmly in control.
Jeremie Frimpong made it 4-0 in the 51st minute with a header from another Tsimikas delivery. LASK pulled one back through Florian Ljubicic in the 63rd minute, but Barcola answered five minutes later, converting a Frimpong cross to complete his hat-trick. Mahamadou Koumas added a sixth for Liverpool in the 72nd minute after two earlier goals were chalked off for offside. Florian Flecker scored twice late for LASK, having also found the net against Liverpool in the Europa League three years earlier.
What The Milestone Means For Barcola
The hat-trick arrives as Barcola faced mounting scrutiny following his big-money arrival, having gone without a goal contribution through his early Liverpool outings. His three-goal night, according to ESPN, served as a direct response to that scrutiny. The timing matters for a player brought in as the club’s most expensive signing of the summer transfer window.
Wirtz’s assist on Barcola’s second goal adds a layer to the story beyond one player’s return to scoring form. Both attackers arrived at Liverpool under significant expectation, and their combination in this match offered a concrete sign of productivity from two of the club’s marquee additions.
By The Numbers
Liverpool’s dominance showed up across the statistical sheet. The club racked up 19 shots in the opening half alone, a new record for an away side in the first half of a Champions League match. Liverpool finished with 3.34 expected goals compared to LASK’s 2.02, and converted six of nine shots on target into goals.
Manager Jon Iraola made a notable lineup choice as well, benching Virgil van Dijk for just the third time in Liverpool’s 39 Champions League matches since 2022, according to Sky Sports.
What’s Next
Liverpool will look to build on the result as the Champions League group stage continues, with Barcola and Wirtz both having shown they can produce against continental opposition. The club’s attention now turns to its next fixtures, including a Premier League clash in which the Isak and Gakpo injury situation against Manchester City will factor into squad planning.
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