‘Not a fantastic finisher!’ - Tim Sherwood slams Liverpool’s £123m star Bradley Barcola despite Champions League victory

Liverpool are riding the crest of a wave after making a winning start to their Champions League campaign. Andoni Iraola's side showed immense character to come from behind and secure a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Atletico on Wednesday. The continental triumph followed a comfortable 2-0 Premier League win against Ipswich Town.

However, the eventful evening sparked plenty of debate surrounding two recent arrivals. While Barcelona loanee Ronald Araujo continues to excel in a relatively unfamiliar right-back position, big-money summer signing Barcola endured a rather contrasting and frustrating outing.

Barcola attracted significant criticism for his below-par finishing against Atletico. The winger, who completed a £123 million switch from Paris Saint-Germain last month, squandered a one-on-one opportunity by dragging his shot wide. He also saw another major attempt denied by Jan Oblak. Speaking on Sky Sports, pundit Tim Sherwood offered a worrying verdict on the forward's display.

"No, it wasn't a good night," Sherwood said. "He had a lot of opportunities. He looked a threat, but he had a few opportunities bearing down Oblak and he just couldn't find the finish. He's not a fantastic finisher, I have to say that. A few sitters he missed tonight."

The left-sided forward made his competitive debut off the bench in Friday's triumph at Ipswich, but he earned his first start on the right wing against Atleti. He lasted an hour before being withdrawn with cramp, capping off a difficult individual performance.

Despite the harsh criticism regarding his finishing, Sherwood did highlight positive aspects of Barcola's game. The pundit noted that the new arrival offers a distinct tactical advantage to Iraola's attacking unit.

"The good thing about him is that he stretches defenders," Sherwood added. "He runs without the ball, so you don't have to take possession of the ball and dribble. He goes, checks and makes good runs."

Following their successful European exploits, Liverpool must quickly refocus on their domestic schedule. The Reds head into Saturday's Premier League clash with Fulham looking to maintain their impressive recent momentum across all competitions. Barcola will be hoping for another opportunity to silence his critics and open his goalscoring account in English football.

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