Matthäus Hits Back At Criticism Of Liverpool’s Florian Wirtz

Lothar Matthäus has pushed back against what he sees as unfair treatment of Florian Wirtz in the English and German press, arguing that the Liverpool playmaker’s performances deserve a more balanced assessment than they have been getting.

Matthäus Defends Wirtz’s Contribution

Speaking to RTL, the former Germany captain said he regularly hears from contacts in England that Wirtz continues to play well even when the standout moments are not there, pointing out that the 23 year old is frequently involved in the build up to goals even when he does not get directly on the scoresheet himself. Matthäus suggested that judging Wirtz purely by goals and assists misses a lot of what he actually offers Liverpool on the ball, and that the scrutiny around him has become disproportionate given how much he is asked to influence games.

The debate has grown louder since Wirtz’s move to Anfield, given the scale of the fee involved and the weight of expectation that came with it. Matthäus’s intervention adds a prominent voice to the argument that Wirtz is being judged too harshly too soon.

Liverpool’s Structure Still A Work In Progress

Part of the problem, on this view, is less about Wirtz individually and more about how Liverpool are set up around him. He needs space between the lines, reliable movement ahead of him and teammates able to exploit the gaps his creativity opens up, and Liverpool have not always provided that consistently this season.

Much of Liverpool’s forward play has leaned on combinations involving Cody Gakpo and Alexander Isak, which has left Wirtz’s role in the final third slightly undefined at times. A more disciplined option in front of the back line could free him to operate higher up the pitch, and both Alexis Mac Allister’s positioning and Trey Nyoni’s potential involvement offer Andoni Iraola possible ways of finding that balance.

Time, Not Panic, Is What Wirtz Needs

Wirtz will, in the end, be judged on results rather than sympathetic quotes from former internationals, and Liverpool’s substantial outlay to sign him means patience has its limits. But Matthäus’s central point, that he is being asked to answer for broader structural issues that are not entirely his doing, carries weight.

If Iraola can sharpen the team’s balance and give Wirtz a clearer platform between midfield and attack, the suggestion is that the quality which justified Liverpool’s investment in the first place would follow. Until then, the verdict on Wirtz remains unresolved rather than settled, whatever this week’s headlines suggest.