Liverpool Receive Bradley Barcola Injury Scare Before £123m Signing Gets Crucial Update
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Liverpool were given an anxious moment when £123million summer signing Bradley Barcola went down clutching his calf during their Champions League victory over Atletico Madrid — before manager Andoni Iraola revealed the injury scare was not as serious as it first appeared.
Barcola started Liverpool’s 2-1 win at Anfield on Wednesday night but was forced off in the 60th minute after sprinting behind the Atletico defence.
The Frenchman immediately grabbed his left calf and went down, prompting Liverpool’s medical staff to come onto the pitch.
As Barcola was treated before slowly making his way towards the substitutes’ bench, Iraola appeared visibly concerned and was seen asking his new signing whether he was suffering from cramp.
The Liverpool boss would soon receive the answer he wanted.
Iraola Relieved By Barcola Update
Speaking to TNT Sports after the final whistle, Iraola confirmed Barcola had told him the problem was cramp rather than a more serious calf injury.
“It was just cramps, especially with Bradley,” Iraola said.
“We are rushing him, he hasn’t played any minutes in pre-season, but today we decided to ask him to give everything he had. Let’s see how they recover for the next one.”
The update will come as a major relief to Liverpool, particularly after Barcola had already endured a frustrating evening in front of goal.
The £123million arrival had two excellent opportunities to score his first goal for the club but was unable to convert either.
His first effort was saved by Jan Oblak shortly before Dominik Szoboszlai brought Liverpool level, while his second chance came when he was clean through but fired wide.
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Liverpool Fight Back At Anfield
Liverpool had fallen behind early after Marcos Llorente raced onto a through ball from Julian Alvarez before calmly beating Alisson one-on-one.
But the hosts responded strongly.
Szoboszlai restored parity with a composed close-range finish before Alexis Mac Allister completed the comeback with a spectacular strike to put Liverpool ahead.
Barcola was unable to add his own name to the scoresheet, but his pace and willingness to run behind the Atletico defence offered another glimpse of what Liverpool invested in when they signed him.
Iraola Admits Atletico Surprised Him
Despite securing the win, Iraola admitted Liverpool had initially struggled to deal with Diego Simeone’s tactical approach.
The Atletico boss deployed a five-man defence in a 5-3-2 formation, something Iraola said Liverpool had not expected.
“I think I have to take blame from the beginning because they surprised me a little bit tactically,” Iraola said.
“They played a five at the back, a 5-3-2. We expected something different and waited to correct it.”
Liverpool improved dramatically after the interval, according to Iraola, who was particularly pleased with the response from his players.
“Difficult to ask for more. We showed character. I loved the second half. I feel lucky to experience this atmosphere,” he said.
“After half-time, we had a much better game, we pressed better, and I think we have been the better team.”
The result gives Liverpool a winning start to their Champions League campaign, while Barcola’s reassuring update should ease concerns over the club’s record summer signing.
After being pushed through a demanding game without any pre-season minutes, the focus will now be on Barcola’s recovery ahead of Liverpool’s next test.
