All eyes on Bradley Barcola tonight.
Liverpool fans will have another reason to watch France when they take on Belgium in the Nations League, because this could be a really important game for our new signing.
Barcola has been included in Zinédine Zidane’s France squad for the first time and, with Kylian Mbappé unavailable, there is an opportunity for some of the other attacking players to step forward.
And Barcola is one of the players I’m particularly interested in seeing.
Reports from France suggest Zidane is expected to make changes for the game in Brussels, with Barcola potentially starting alongside Michael Olise and Désiré Doué.
That’s a pretty exciting front three.
This is exactly what Barcola needs
Barcola has only just arrived at Liverpool.
He’s still getting used to a new club, a new manager and a completely different set of expectations after his move from Paris Saint-Germain.
So these international games aren’t just about France.
They’re useful for Barcola too.
He needs minutes.
He needs confidence.
And, perhaps most importantly, he needs to feel like an important player again.
There’s no question about his ability.
Liverpool didn’t spend a reported £120 million up front, with the deal potentially rising to £123m, because they weren’t convinced about what he could do.
They’ve bought him because they believe he can become a major attacking player for this team.
Now we get to see him doing it on another stage.
Mbappé’s absence could help him
Obviously, nobody wants to see another player injured.
But Mbappé’s knee problem means France are without their captain for this game, and Zidane has to find a different way of putting his attack together.
That could give Barcola a bigger role.
And I think that’s exactly what Liverpool supporters should be hoping for.
We know what he can do when he gets space.
We know how dangerous he is when he can run at defenders.
But I’d like to see him play with a bit of freedom tonight.
Don’t overthink it.
Get the ball.
Run at them.
Make something happen.
That’s Barcola at his best.
And Liverpool fans should be watching Jacquet too
Barcola isn’t the only Red involved.
Jérémy Jacquet is also in the France squad for the Belgium game.
That’s another fascinating one for Liverpool supporters.
Jacquet has been one of the biggest positives for me at the start of this season.
He’s still only 21, but he’s already looked increasingly comfortable alongside Virgil van Dijk.
So having him involved with the senior France squad is another step forward in his development.
Imagine being a young defender and suddenly finding yourself training alongside some of the best players in the world.
That’s going to do him no harm at all.
I really want to see what Barcola can do
This is why I’ll be watching tonight.
Not because one international game is going to tell us everything about Barcola.
It won’t.
But I want to see him get a proper opportunity.
He’s joined Liverpool with a huge price tag hanging over him.
There will be pressure.
There will be expectations.
And Liverpool supporters are going to want to see exactly why the club were prepared to spend so much money on him.
Tonight gives him another chance to show it.
France face Belgium at the King Baudouin Stadium, with kick-off at 8.45pm BST.
And for me, there is one Liverpool player I’ll be watching more closely than anyone else.
Come on, Bradley.
Go and enjoy yourself.
Run at them.
Show Zidane what you’ve got.
And, most importantly, come back to Liverpool full of confidence.
Because I have a feeling we’re going to see a lot more from Bradley Barcola as this season goes on.
Jamie (The Kopite View)
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