Barcola Silent After Six Matches, Iraola Predicts Imminent Upturn

Bradley Barcola is still waiting for his first goal or assist in a Liverpool shirt, six matches and 336 minutes after his arrival from PSG for €143 million. Far from being alarmed, Reds manager Andoni Iraola defended his marquee signing on the eve of Liverpool’s Champions League trip to Austrian club LASK.

“He’s a good player who plays well and produces a lot. But sometimes we’re too focused on statistics,” the Spanish coach told the press. Iraola also referenced Florian Wirtz’s sluggish start to the season to put expectations into perspective: “We know the level of these two players who will deliver good performances without doubt. I was actually satisfied with a lot of things Bradley showed the other day. There were situations, even if we didn’t finish them. But I have 100% confidence in him and in ‘Flo’.”

Iraola particularly stressed the adaptation logic inherent to any late summer transfer. “He’s the last to arrive. The more he plays, the more he’ll build connections with those playing alongside him. And yes, he’ll be better.” A clear message aimed at both supporters and outside observers: playing time is the only accelerator that matters.

Formed at Lyon before establishing himself as one of Ligue 1’s best wingers at PSG, Barcola finished last season with 26 goals and 16 assists across all competitions. The gap between those figures and his London start fuels questions, but Liverpool has clearly chosen patience as its approach.