Florian Wirtz finally ended his wait for a goal contribution as Liverpool thrashed Eintracht Frankfurt 5-1 in the Champions League league phase on Wednesday night
Florian Wirtz's Liverpool career finally took flight on Wednesday evening as the German star provided two assists in the Reds' emphatic 5-1 demolition of Eintracht Frankfurt in the Champions League. The ex-Bayer Leverkusen ace has faced mounting pressure following his £116million summer switch.
Before Wednesday's clash in Frankfurt, Wirtz had managed just one assist, which arrived during the Reds' Community Shield loss to Crystal Palace. However, Liverpool's No. 7 produced a scintillating second-half display in Germany to finally shake off his early-season struggles.
Strikes from former Frankfurt forward Hugo Ekitke, Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate, Cody Gakpo and Dominik Szoboszlai helped Arne Slot claim his first victory in four matches and guide the Reds away from a potential crisis.
Following the match, German press were swift to laud Wirtz, 22, whose fleeting grin during post-game media duties spoke volumes. Suddeutsche Zeitung said: "Amidst a tough few weeks of sporting activity, Florian Wirtz once again shows flashes of genius and joy. After the final whistle in Frankfurt, he's practically overwhelmed.
"After a subdued first half, the football star turned on the heat after the break. It was clearly noticeable that a weight had been lifted from the German football hopeful. While Wirtz appeared monotonous and almost bored in the pre-match interview, a smile or two flitted across his face afterward."
BILD, describing him as a superstar, wrote: "Wirtz, a man worth €140million, also shines, setting up goals for Gakpo (4-1) and Szoboszlai (5-1) in just four minutes. His first goal involvement in a Liverpool shirt in more than two months."
SportBild said: "His return to the German football stage in Frankfurt had been eagerly awaited – and Wirtz didn't disappoint. After a subdued first half, the attacking star showed why Liverpool had paid over 100million euros for him in the summer.
"For Liverpool, it was their 15th consecutive victory against a German team – the Reds have been unbeaten against Bundesliga clubs for 23 years. Wirtz played a part in that."
Spiegel Sport reported: "The Gordian knot has been untied: 'I'm happy to be back in Germany,' Wirtz said before the match. Liverpool's €150million signing was presumably hoping to build on better times at home and finally record his first goal involvement in a Reds jersey.
"And in the second half, that certainly happened: First, Wirtz set up Gakpo's 4-1 goal (66') with a cross from the right, and the former Leverkusen player was also the last to touch the ball before Szoboszlai's long-range shot to make it 5-1."
Following the match, Wirtz reflected on his recent difficulties and how his display in Frankfurt might mark a crucial moment. "It's no secret that I would have liked to have been involved in more goals," Wirtz told ZDF.
"But I'm probably the best judge of my games; I'm honest with myself. It wasn't always as bad as people say. I know I still have a lot of room for improvement. That actually makes me happy. We've played 10 games now, so I'm very relaxed that I'll be at my best at some point."
Speaking to DAZN, he said: "We didn't get off to a good start again, but then we pulled ourselves together a bit and turned the game around. We know what quality we have in the team.
"In the first half, I struggled a bit to get into good spaces and unfortunately lost the ball before the goal. I know I can still do much, much better. The second half was quite good, but everyone played well."