UCL: Liverpool Vs LASK – Barcola Hits Hat-Trick in Nine-Goal Thriller

Barcola hat-trick inspires Liverpool to win over LASK

Bradley Barcola announced himself in style with his first professional hat-trick as Liverpool's third-youngest ever Champions League side overpowered LASK Linz in a chaotic 6-3 thriller - leaving the Austrian hosts winless in 10 European games.

Barcola scores hat-trick as young Liverpool side beat LASK in nine-goal thriller...

Liverpool's third-youngest ever Champions League starting XI proved too strong for LASK Linz, with Bradley Barcola hitting a hat-trick in a 6-3 win that leaves the hosts without a victory in their last 10 European matches.

Lewis Koumas has been a lively presence for Liverpool in Alexander Isak's absence, and he caused problems early on when he latched onto a through ball from Jeremie Frimpong.

One quickly became two. Rio Ngumoha weaved his way through the home defence and could have had a penalty, but the ball fell to Koumas, who squared it for Barcola and the Frenchman swept it home to open his Liverpool account.

Koumas briefly thought he had got on the scoresheet himself with a sharp turn and finish into the corner, but he was flagged narrowly offside.

Ryan Gravenberch then hit the inside of the post as the hosts clung on by the skin of their teeth.

Christoph Lang dragged a shot wide in a rare attack for LASK, but it was soon 3-0 when Barcola latched onto a superb pass from Wirtz to grab his second of the night.

LASK looked a bit more lively after the break, with Lang continuing to pose the biggest threat as he fired narrowly wide of Alisson Becker's post.

But any faint hope of a comeback was short-lived, as Frimpong headed home the first headed goal of his career to stretch the visitors' lead even further.

The unlucky Koumas was then denied by the offside flag for a second time, before substitute Robert Ljubicic pulled one back for the Austrians, controlling the ball with his first touch and smashing it home with his second.

But it was Liverpool's night, and Barcola's in particular, as the 24-year-old swept in Frimpong's cross to complete his first professional hat-trick.

Momentum Shift

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Koumas finally got on the scoresheet, collecting another Frimpong delivery and scuffing it through the goalkeeper's legs to make it 6-1.

There was still another twist to come, however, as substitute Florian Flecker bagged a brace to make it 6-3, going one better than his goal against the Merseysiders in 2023.

Liverpool win crazy game 😳 #UCL https://t.co/2SLtZbJIe2

— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) October 14, 2026

He was on hand to head into an empty net at the far post for his first, before firing a fine strike into the corner to frustrate Andoni Iraola and set up a tense finish.

Match ball secured 🤝⚽️ https://t.co/EgS1aqSN6W

— Liverpool FC (@LFC) October 14, 2026

But the Reds held off any threat of a comeback to claim their 26th win in their last 30 Champions League group and league-phase matches, while the wait for an Austrian side to beat English opposition in a major European competition looks set to stretch beyond 35 years.

Match Statistics