After Contract Talks Collapse, He Scores a 20-Yard World-Class Goal with His Weaker Foot as Anfield Chants His Name

Liverpool defeated last season's Champions League semifinalists Atletico Madrid at home, with Alexis Mac Allister scoring a powerful strike from 20 yards to secure victory. Just one day earlier, he had publicly said that Liverpool told him it could not provide him with a new contract, which left him very disappointed.

Response After the Contract Renewal Dispute

The relationship between Mac Allister and Liverpool appears to have become somewhat complicated. He had previously expressed his disappointment publicly after the club told him it was not currently in a position to offer him a new contract. But in this match, he responded through football. The shot was unstoppable, flying into the net from 20 yards out, and it came from his less frequently used left foot, highlighting the Argentine player's technical ability.

Midfielders Provide All the Goals

Liverpool's midfield was often outnumbered during the match and the team had a difficult time, but the goals came from midfield players. Dominik Szoboszlai, who recorded five goals and four assists in last season's Champions League, was one of Liverpool's best performers. In this match, he received a backheel pass from Ronald Araujo and fired a low shot into the far corner to equalize. A few seconds before the goal, Jan Oblak had just saved a shot from Bradley Barcola that could have become his first goal for Liverpool.

Szoboszlai's goal also carried a sense of redemption, as he was responsible to some extent for Atletico's goal. The attack began when Milos Kerkez pushed forward and won the ball back from Lee Kang-in, and Iraola, who favors vertical progression and high pressing, would surely have been pleased with the sequence.

Barcola's Missed Chances and Liverpool's Concerns

Barcola came on as a substitute against Ipswich Town on Friday, and this match was his first start since joining for £106 million. He played on the right wing, the position previously occupied by Mohamed Salah. Four minutes after the second half began, Florian Wirtz played a through ball that sent him behind Atletico's defense, but Barcola pushed his effort wide of the post and missed the chance for his first goal. He missed three opportunities in total before being substituted.

More concerning was that he appeared to suffer a suspected calf injury on his debut. Liverpool's defense also revealed another concern in the first half, with a chaotic display, many gaps, and some heated moments. However, for Iraola, his first Champions League night as a manager was ultimately a happy one despite the twists and turns. When Mac Allister was substituted, the entire Anfield crowd chanted his name.