Barcola hat‑trick powers Liverpool to 6‑3 Champions League win over LASK

Liverpool dominate LASK in Linz On 14 October 2026, Liverpool travelled to the Raiffeisen Arena in Linz for their second group‑stage match of the UEFA Champions League. The English club recorded a 6‑3 victory over the hosts, securing their second win from two games in the competition.

Bradley Barcola, who joined Liverpool from Paris Saint‑Germain in August, opened his Liverpool scoring account with a goal in the 22nd minute, heading home from a corner delivered by Kostas Tsimikas. He added a second just two minutes later, finishing a move that involved teenage forward Lewis Koumas, and completed his hat‑trick in the 37th minute after receiving a pass from Florian Wirtz. According to Reuters, Barcola’s three goals ended a personal goal drought and marked his first goals for the club in his seventh appearance.

Ronald Araújo, making his debut goal for Liverpool, provided the opening strike, while Jeremie Frimpong extended the lead early in the second half with a header from a Tsimikas cross. Lewis Koumas also got on the scoresheet after the break, giving the visitors a seventh different scorer in the match.

Sky Sports reported that Liverpool registered 19 shots in the first half, a record for an away side in the opening half of a Champions League match since records began in the 2003‑04 season. LASK managed to pull two goals back, with Rob (surname not provided) scoring in the 63rd minute and a further goal later in the half, but the deficit proved too large.

The win kept Liverpool unbeaten in the tournament, following a 2‑1 victory over Atlético Madrid in their opening fixture. It also offered a morale boost after a 3‑0 Premier League defeat to Manchester City earlier in the week.

Aston Villa’s parallel success The same evening saw Aston Villa record a 6‑0 triumph over Turkish side Fenerbahçe at Villa Park. The victory marked Villa’s second consecutive win in the group stage, following a 3‑2 away win against Club Brugge. The comprehensive win reinforced Villa’s position after their earlier success.

Implications for Liverpool Liverpool manager Jürgen Iraola, who had recently faced criticism after the domestic loss, expressed full confidence in Barcola and Wirtz, according to Vanguard. Injuries to key attackers Alexander Isak, Cody Gakpo and Dominik Szoboszlai meant Barcola and Wirtz carried much of the attacking burden, a responsibility they fulfilled in Linz.

The performance underlines Liverpool’s attacking depth and suggests that the new signings are beginning to adapt to the demands of European competition, while the team’s defensive record remains solid despite conceding three goals. The club now looks ahead to its next group match with optimism about maintaining a perfect record.