SOCCER - UEFA CL, LASK vs Liverpool
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Liverpool won comfortably against LASK, but the main talking point from Austria was not the scoreline. It was Jeremy Jacquet signalling to the bench that his night may need to end early, and Andoni Iraola reacting immediately.
With Liverpool already 4-0 up, Jacquet appeared to indicate some discomfort after a sprint with Samuel Adeniran shortly after the hour mark. There was no obvious injury and no dramatic collapse to the turf, but that sort of gesture from a centre-back who has already had his workload managed is enough to sharpen attention. Iraola did not hang around. Jacquet and Ronald Araujo were both withdrawn, with Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez sent on.
That tells you two things. First, Liverpool saw no reason to take a risk. Second, Iraola is well aware that this stage of the season can punish clubs that ignore warning signs.
Jeremy Jacquet load management now looks significant
Jacquet had already missed France’s final game over the international break because his load was being managed. He has logged heavy minutes early in the campaign, so this did not come from nowhere. It looked less like a fresh injury and more like a player aware that he was getting close to the edge, particularly around the hamstring area.
That matters because Liverpool’s schedule is starting to tighten. Brentford are next, with Villarreal and Brighton also coming up. At this point in the season, avoidable muscle injuries tend to come from stubbornness, poor judgement, or both. Liverpool chose the sensible route.
Liverpool depth helps as LASK fade
The game itself had long since been settled. Bradley Barcola was the standout, scoring twice before going on to complete his hat-trick. Florian Wirtz looked sharp, Rio Ngumoha impressed again, and Lewis Koumas contributed in a strong attacking display.
LASK could not live with Liverpool’s movement or quality once the game opened up. The away side controlled the contest, moved the ball quickly and punished mistakes. By the time the defensive changes came, the points were already secure.
There was further context around selection too. Alexander Isak, Cody Gakpo and Dominik Szoboszlai all missed the trip through injury. Iraola has suggested those absences should not become long-term problems, but there is still no clear return date for any of them.
Andoni Iraola gets the key call right
Before the match, Iraola had made clear that Liverpool would treat the occasion seriously. “The Champions League is a competition that everyone wants to play in,” Iraola said before the game. “It’s a team that in their competition, they won the competition. They are normally dominant, they spend a lot of time on the ball, and they have to change their approach a little bit when they go to face stronger opposition in the Champions League.
Photo: IMAGO
“We have this season the precedent of Celtic losing here 5-1 in extra time. We have to respect them.
“I could feel it in the first game against Atletico. It was a lovely atmosphere, a lovely win. We started the competition well and we want to continue in the same way.
“We want to continue with a win in this case away, because [not] winning in this competition is very expensive. So, we want to take the points that we need early, because otherwise you put yourself in trouble.”
Liverpool got the win, and Iraola got the bigger call right too. When Jacquet signalled, he acted. That is what management looks like.