Bradley Barcola has finally found his feet at Liverpool after a difficult start to his English adventure. Signed for €140 million last summer, the French winger had failed to score or provide an assist in his first six appearances for the Reds, raising questions about his adaptation and ability to meet expectations.
However, Wednesday’s Champions League clash against LASK marked a turning point. The 24-year-old scored the first hat-trick of his professional career, delivering the kind of performance Liverpool had hoped to see when they invested so heavily in him. He opened his account with a first-time finish into the far corner, doubled his tally with a composed left-footed effort after Florian Wirtz’s assist, then completed his treble with a close-range finish at the far post.
Beyond his three goals, Barcola impressed with his confidence, movement and willingness to take on defenders. He attempted ten dribbles and registered five shots, constantly troubling LASK’s defense and earning UEFA’s Man of the Match award. The Liverpool Echo gave him a 9/10 rating, praising his finishing and technical quality.
Manager Andoni Iraola also welcomed the Frenchman’s resurgence, highlighting the threat he posed in one-on-one situations and with runs behind the defense. The coach believes the performance will boost Barcola’s confidence and reinforce his trust in the winger. By scoring a Champions League hat-trick, Barcola has also joined an exclusive group of Liverpool players to achieve the feat, alongside Michael Owen, Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mané and Diogo Jota. The challenge now is to maintain this level against stronger opposition, but his display against LASK offers a timely response to the criticism that followed his slow start at Anfield.
