Liverpool thrashed LASK 6-3 in a Champions League classic at the Raiffeisen Arena on Wednesday night, with Bradley Barcola’s hat-trick inspiring a much-changed Reds side to a second straight win in the league phase. The LASK vs Liverpool clash produced nine goals in Linz, as Florian Wirtz also answered his critics with a sparkling display in a statement attacking performance.
Ronald Araujo headed the visitors in front on 22 minutes, rising to meet Kostas Tsimikas’ corner for his first Liverpool goal, before Barcola struck twice in quick succession — first sweeping home from close range after Rio Ngumoha’s driving run was kept alive by Lewis Koumas, then finishing coolly from Wirtz’s incisive pass. Jeremie Frimpong’s header made it 4-0 early in the second half, and though Robert Ljubicic pulled one back for the Austrian champions, Barcola completed his treble from Frimpong’s cross before Koumas added a sixth on his first Champions League start.
LASK refused to roll over, and substitute Florian Flecker scored twice in two minutes late on to give the scoreline some respectability, punishing Liverpool’s slack defending after Andoni Iraola introduced Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez. The LASK vs Liverpool scoreline still flattered the hosts: the visitors had registered 19 first-half attempts, a record for an away side in the opening 45 minutes of a Champions League match, and could have led by more at the break after Ryan Gravenberch hit the post and Koumas had a goal ruled out for offside.
Before kick-off, the LASK vs Liverpool fixture had been framed as a potential banana skin — a rotated Liverpool facing the Austrian champions between domestic commitments. Instead, Iraola’s understudies produced the club’s most fluent attacking display of the season, underlining the squad depth the former Bournemouth boss has been building.
Barcola ends drought in LASK vs Liverpool rout
The night belonged to Barcola. The £123 million summer signing from Paris Saint-Germain had gone six appearances without a goal or an assist, attracting scrutiny amid Liverpool’s inconsistent start to the season. He ended that wait in emphatic fashion, opening his account less than two minutes after Araujo’s header, doubling his tally before the break from Wirtz’s pass, and completing the hat-trick with a simple finish at the far post after Frimpong’s low cross. He even went close to a fourth with a cheeky lob as he hunted further goals.
The French winger’s movement between the lines caused LASK constant problems, and his link-up with Wirtz offered a glimpse of the partnership Liverpool envisaged when they spent heavily in the summer. On this evidence, the most expensive signing in the club’s history is finally up and running.
Wirtz answers critics as LASK vs Liverpool turns into shootout
Wirtz, himself under pressure after calls for him to be dropped, produced his most influential Liverpool performance to date. The German midfielder combined beautifully with Barcola for the third goal, threaded passes through the LASK defence at will, and looked every inch the Bundesliga player of the year Liverpool thought they were buying.
Tsimikas, the stand-in captain, was equally impressive with two assists from left-back, while 19-year-old Trey Nyoni shone on his first Champions League start alongside Gravenberch in midfield. With the senior stars rested, the second string made an irresistible case for more minutes.
Iraola’s rotation vindicated despite late LASK vs Liverpool wobble
Iraola made full use of his squad with six games in 18 days in mind, resting Van Dijk, Alexis Mac Allister and Milos Kerkez and handing starts to Frimpong, Tsimikas, Nyoni and Ngumoha. The gamble looked inspired until the closing stages, when the introduction of Van Dijk and Gomez at the hour mark was bizarrely followed by three LASK goals — a defensive collapse that will concern the manager despite the victory.
Alexander Isak missed out again with the thigh problem picked up on Sweden duty, and Iraola admitted he is unsure when the British-record signing will return. With four goals and one assist in seven appearances so far, the Swede’s absence is being felt, though Koumas — leading the line in his place — took his chance well in Linz.
The LASK vs Liverpool result keeps the Reds perfect after two matchdays and banishes the memory of Sunday’s first defeat of the season against Manchester City. Attention now turns to Saturday’s trip to Brentford followed by Villarreal on Tuesday, with Iraola hoping Barcola’s breakthrough marks the start of a sustained run. For LASK, beaten but unbowed, the late rally at least gave their supporters something to cheer — even if the gulf in class in this LASK vs Liverpool tie was clear long before the final whistle.