Bradley Barcola scored a hat-trick and Florian Wirtz shone after recent criticism as Liverpool thrashed LASK 6-3 to earn their second win in the Champions League. Barcola kick-started his Liverpool career, having not scored or assisted in six appearances since his £123m move from Paris Saint-Germain, while Wirtz responded to calls for him to be dropped with a fine performance in what was expected to be a comfortable evening against the Austrian Bundesliga champions. Liverpool had 19 shots in the opening period, a new record for an away team in the first half of a Champions League game, as Ronald Araujo headed in his first goal for the club before Barcola got off the mark with a tidy finish and then slotted in another from a Wirtz pass.
Andoni Iraola's side were relentless with Trey Nyoni, 19, impressing in midfield alongside Ryan Gravenberch and they helped add a fourth when Jeremie Frimpong met Kostas Tsimikas' cross with an excellent header that went in off the post just six minutes after the break. Iraola benched Virgil van Dijk in Austria for only the third time in Liverpool's 39 Champions League games since 2022, but when he and Joe Gomez were introduced at centre-back in the 62nd minute, they conceded three times. Barcola's hat-trick, a tap-in from Frimpong's cross, followed Robert Ljubicic's consolation before Wales striker Lewis Koumas, leading the line in Alexander Isak's absence, deservedly scored Liverpool's sixth after he had two efforts ruled out for offside.
Florian Flecker reduced the deficit late on with two clinical finishes in two minutes, exposing Liverpool's sloppy defending to take some shine off the victory. Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player Play Super 6 for a chance to win £1m!
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