Liverpool's 3-0 defeat to Manchester City has led to much criticism of the Reds, who now sit 9th in the Premier League table after six games. The likes of Florian Wirtz and Jeremie Frimpong have been the main targets of abuse from supporters, but eyes have now shifted towards two-time Champions League winner Barcola.
Should fans have patience with Barcola?
After making his £123M move from the French giants, the weight of the world has been on Barcola's shoulders to not only step into the Liverpool side and find success, but also to replace the legendary Mohamed Salah, which seems an impossible feat.
The 24-year-old grabbed 13 goals and 8 assists last season, with six of those goal contributions coming in the Champions League as PSG beat Arsenal on penalties in the final.
Barcola is no stranger to big games and making an impact when needed. However, since his move to Merseyside, he has become swallowed up by the anticipation surrounding him as Liverpool seek new inspiration in attack.
The Frenchman is yet to grab a single goal contribution under Iraola after six appearances, and as time ticks on, the more the pressure grows and works its way into Barcola's head that he may not be cut out for the Premier League.
In an exclusive interview with Flashscore, Michael Owen said Barcola is "taking time to settle in" and "it's a patient man game at the minute" with him following his big-money move.
Fans understand the young winger is world-class, but they also know he must be given the opportunity to adapt to his new side in his own time or they may risk another Darwin Nunez situation where a former top-class striker becomes a shell of himself.
Are Barcola and Wirtz still adapting?
Barcola has since described the Premier League as "very intense" and "very different from Ligue 1" whilst he stated that “the games are end-to-end. I find it is less tactical than it is in Ligue 1.”
One of the biggest talking points when a player arrives in the Premier League from either Ligue 1 or the Bundesliga is whether they can adapt, as the physicality, pace and tactical styles are so vastly different.
Repeated high-intensity sprints, rapid transitions and constant recovery runs can take time to get used to across a full 90 minutes. Barcola himself admitted that the Premier League is more intense and different, a problem that Wirtz faced when he first arrived from Bayer Leverkusen in summer 2025 and still struggles with this season as patience grows very thin.
Barcola and Wirtz could end up costing Liverpool nearly £240M combined, and an argument could be made that the club's recruitment has simply not been good enough over the past few years as the side brings in big-value stars instead of players who could make an immediate influence.
However, Barcola and Wirtz both met high expectations in the Champions League, performing against the best sides in Europe. Their domestic leagues are almost irrelevant when you look at their performances across the continent, perhaps confusing fans even further as to why the pair are still struggling for Liverpool.
For some supporters there is no doubt that the pair will eventually come good, but when that will be is impossible to predict. Liverpool needs results immediately and cannot wait around for Wirtz and Barcola to finally find their feet halfway through the campaign.
Iraola's side next face LASK in the Champions League on Wednesday night, a game where Barcola and Wirtz will earn another opportunity to prove themselves. Despite the calls for patience, there is no denying that Liverpool need him to turn his pace and dribbling into goals and assists, not simply show flashes of potential, which is all he has offered so far.