An attacking masterclass led by summer signing Bradley Barcola powered Liverpool to a wild 6-3 victory over Linzer ASK on matchday two of the UEFA Champions League, though German international Florian Wirtz remained without a goal despite an influential performance in central midfield.
Playing away in Austria, manager Andoni Iraola’s heavily rotated side dominated the opening half to establish a commanding lead. The English club arrived without several established starters, including Virgil van Dijk, Dominik Szoboszlai, Cody Gakpo, Alexander Isak, and Hugo Ekitiké. In their absence, youngsters Rio Ngumoha, Lewis Koumas, and Trey Nyoni were thrust into the starting lineup. Despite the unfamiliar personnel, Liverpool overwhelmed the Austrian champions, firing 19 shots in the first half alone—setting a record for the most first-half attempts by an away team in a UEFA Champions League away match since the 2003–04 season.
Barcola Dominates and Wirtz Supplies the Assist
Bradley Barcola proved to be the standout player of the fixture, netting a hat-trick with goals in the 24th, 37th, and 66th minutes. One of Barcola’s strikes was directly engineered by Wirtz, who operated in his customary central role behind the forwards. Wirtz registered 80 ball touches, completed 86 percent of his passes, and recorded six shots during a lively display.
The goalscoring action arrived in waves at both ends of the pitch. Ronald Araújo opened the scoring with a 22nd-minute header before Barcola took over. Jeremie Frimpong added another in the 51st minute, while Lewis Koumas rounded off the English scoring in the 72nd minute. Linzer ASK capitalized on defensive lapses from the visitors, courtesy of a goal from Robert Ljubicic and a double from Florian Flecker.
Managerial Backing and the Ongoing Scoring Drought for Wirtz
While Wirtz contributed heavily to Liverpool’s attacking sequences, his personal wait for a goal in red extended to eight matches across all competitions. Recent weeks had brought sharp external scrutiny, including remarks from Jamie Carragher, who suggested during Sky coverage of a 3-0 Premier League defeat to Manchester City that Wirtz should be removed from the starting XI.
However, the playmaker received a strong vote of confidence from Steven Gerrard prior to the trip to Austria. Speaking on the Sky show The Overlap, Gerrard urged patience. I wouldn’t write him off yet. I think it’s too early for that,
Gerrard said, describing Wirtz as a player of immense talent who requires backing from the coaching staff, teammates, and senior squad members. Following the final whistle in Linz, manager Andoni Iraola also offered praise to the midfielder. I think he was excellent in possession,
Iraola said in his post-match press conference. He played quick passes, gave good assists, and helped us control the match.
Fixture Schedule and Upcoming Fixtures
Liverpool returns domestic focus to the Premier League calendar before continuing their European campaign. The squad’s training ground preparations now center on their next scheduled fixture.
Keep reading
