Bayer Leverkusen take classy Wirtz action after brutal Liverpool criticism

Florian Wirtz has struggled to make much of an impact since joining Liverpool in a £116million transfer this summer, and has been on the receiving end of plenty of criticism as a result

Florian Wirtz has been backed by his former club Bayer Leverkusen after a challenging start at Liverpool. The attacking midfielder made the switch to the Reds this summer for a whopping £116million but hasn't quite lived up to expectations yet.

Despite setting up Hugo Ekitike's goal in the club's Community Shield clash with Crystal Palace in August, the 22-year-old has not scored or assisted since. And a lack of an impact has drawn considerable flak from both fans and commentators, who expected more given the substantial investment Liverpool put into the player.

In a show of solidarity, Leverkusen took to TikTok to post a message of support for Wirtz, who was with them for five years and left as a club legend. They shared a compilation of Wirtz's highlights at the club with the caption: "Just Florian Wirtz," showcasing his impressive goals and skills.

The video began with clips of Wirtz missing penalties, accompanied by the text: "It all started with some random hate online," before transitioning to his most spectacular goals and displaying his skillful play, with the follow-up message: "But you mean the world to us."

While Leverkusen's video was a touching tribute, the reaction in the comments was mixed, with some users poking fun at Wirtz's slow start at Liverpool. One user quipped: "Give us a refund," and another suggested: "Have him back," reports the Liverpool Echo.

While some fans were quick to criticise Wirtz, others showed more patience. One supporter expressed their unwavering support: "I backed [Darwin] Nunez for 3 years...I'll back flo for an eternity," while another pointed out: "He's 22 in a new league and system in a team that's playing awful and people expect him to be prime [Kevin] De Bruyne, he's actually created a lot of chances in games, especially against Atletico."

Another fan defended the player, saying: "People asking what happened. What happened is that you don't watch the games. Yes he makes mistakes but he also shows moments of class if you actually watch him and he creates lots of chances."

The debate comes as Jamie Carragher didn't mince his words on CBS Sports following Liverpool's tight 1-0 defeat to Galatasaray in the Champions League on Tuesday, with Victor Osimhen's penalty proving decisive. The ex-Liverpool defender said: "I'm not watching a top team.

"Liverpool are not playing football, they are playing basketball. And I told [Arne] Slot this on the first game of the season against Bournemouth. They obviously have a fantastic manager. Liverpool last season were a top team, but also a workmanlike team, which they've sprinkled a bit of stardust on in terms of the transfers they have brought in.

"And they haven't gained anything going forward, but they've lost a lot defensively. I think for the manager now, he now needs to really earn his money. He did last season, by winning the Premier League, but there are few problems he has got to fix.

"It will be really interesting how he does about it, because he spent a lot of money on certain players. Right now, the balance of the team is not right, and the obvious one that stands out is Florian Wirtz, who is just not at the races at all. He's a young boy, coming to a new league, and has plenty of time to go.

"But right now, he needs to come out of the team, Liverpool go back to what they were last season, and try to build some confidence and some stability. Right now it looks like a mess."