Bradley Barcola bags hat-trick as Liverpool thrash LASK 6-3 in Champions League
Sign up now: Get the biggest sports news in your inbox
Liverpool’s French forward Bradley Barcola celebrating scoring their third goal against LASK during the UEFA Champions League match on Oct 14.
PHOTO: AFP
Liverpool’s Bradley Barcola scored his first goals for the club with a hat-trick as they swept aside Champions League newcomers LASK 6-3 on Oct 14, spoiling the Austrian side’s first home game in Europe’s elite club competition.
Ronald Araujo also opened his Liverpool account, while Jeremie Frimpong headed home and Lewis Koumas scored after twice being denied by the offside flag as Andoni Iraola’s side responded emphatically to a 3-0 Premier League defeat by Manchester City on Oct 11.
That match was City’s first since being found guilty of 114 breaches of financial rules, and they lost 4-2 to two-time defending champions Paris Saint-Germain later on Oct 14.
Barcola’s hat-trick offered some welcome relief after a slow start to his Liverpool career, with the French forward facing growing scrutiny following his blockbuster £123 million (S$209 million) move from PSG in August.
Iraola will be less satisfied with Liverpool’s defensive display after Florian Flecker struck twice in three second-half minutes, and Robert Ljubicic also scored for LASK.
Liverpool began their campaign with a 2-1 win over Atletico Madrid, while LASK suffered a narrow 1-0 defeat by AEK Athens in their opener in September.
“I’m really happy for Bradley because you were asking me yesterday about him not making the numbers, also Florian (Wirtz),” Iraola told reporters on Oct 14.
“I think both of them played really well today. I think they made a difference. Bradley, apart from the hat-trick, I think he was a threat always – one versus one, threatening in behind,” he added.
“Also, Flo helped us a lot to control the game, finding the pockets. I’m happy for both of them,” Iraola said.
“I think their confidence, for sure, is very good. I think they feel that we trust them a lot.
“But in the end, to enjoy a little bit of playing in the Champions League away, I think it’s going to be very good for them.”
Barcola won the Champions League with PSG in each of the last two seasons and arrived at Anfield with high expectations.
Iraola is confident his forward’s adaptation to English football will be aided by his goal spree in Austria.
“Obviously, I think he has to enjoy this because to score a hat-trick in the Champions League is always very difficult,” he said.
“Even (during) training yesterday, I could feel he was very lively; sometimes you feel these things. You never know how he’s going to play the next day, but it wasn’t like a big surprise because we felt he was in a good place for the game,” he added.
Iraola was relieved to get back on track after losing for the first time as Liverpool boss in the 3-0 defeat by Premier League leaders City.
Iraola was also able to rest the likes of Virgil van Dijk and Alexis Mac Allister ahead of this weekend’s trip to Brentford.
“You have different demands for each game and you have to try to analyse what players, not just you, can rest. It’s what players can perform well against LASK and help us to win the game, what players can help us against Brentford,” Iraola said.
“But after Brentford, we will play in three days against Villarreal, another very difficult Champions League game, and we will need more than 11, more than 12, more than 13.” REUTERS, AFP