Bradley Barcola made his first appearance for Liverpool since arriving in a deal worth around $166 million (£123 million) from PSG last week, and he looked sharp against Ipswich
Liverpool forward Bradley Barcola made his debut at Ipswich.
Liverpool forward Bradley Barcola made his debut at Ipswich.(Image: Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)
Andoni Iraola was pleased with the sharpness of new signing Bradley Barcola on Friday, as the $166 million (£123 million) Frenchman made his first appearance for Liverpool.
Barcola emerged off the bench for around a third of the game at Ipswich, which Liverpool won 2-0 thanks to a brace from Alexander Isak. While the game was won by then, there was plenty of space for the 24-year-old to run into, and Iraola believes in time, his new teammates will be more used to looking up and finding him.
"I think he had good minutes," Iraola told Sky Sports at the final whistle. "I think he has a very good pass.
"In a counter, a couple of times we didn't find him, so we will have to learn these kinds of movements because he will be in behind, threatening all the time.
"He hasn't played any competitive minutes since the World Cup, so we have to be a little bit more careful, but I think he has been very good."
Overall, this was a much better Liverpool performance, albeit against a side that could well be relegated this term. Ipswich left gaps for the Reds to exploit, and their attack came to life as a result.
Liverpool's Spanish head coach Andoni Iraola reacts after the English Premier League football match between Ipswich Town and Liverpool at Portman Road in Ipswich, eastern England on September 4, 2026. (Photo by Henry NICHOLLS / AFP via Getty Images) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. /
"It's nice, definitely [to get the first win]," Iraola admitted. "We needed that one with the way it has been. We got a clean sheet.
"Controlling the game quite well, I think that we started the game really strong, and then it was another kind of second half. Probably wasn't as good as the first one."
"(Isak is) a massive player for us. My demands will probably not be about the goals; I know he is fit and in good shape. He's going to produce the numbers.
"My fight with him will be more about other stuff, how to help the team in other situations — but it is good he has already played two full games, scoring the goals, so I am very happy to have him."
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Liverpool hosts Atletico Madrid in Iraola's first Champions League game next. It then has Fulham and Bournemouth in the Premier League before the September international break.
"Today I thought we were much better in our press in the first half, so we were covering very high, and then we could make contact with him [Isak] in good positions," Iraola added.
"If we recover the ball lower, it will be harder to find him, so it's all about community effort to get our number nine in situations that he was in today."