Champions League group phase leaders Liverpool virtually sealed a place in the last 16 with a tight 1-0 victory at Girona on Tuesday after Mohamed Salah struck from the penalty spot.
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Liverpool have made a stunning start in the competition under coach Arne Slot, winning all six of their matches to move provisionally five points clear of second-placed Inter Milan.
The English giants, six-time winners of the competition, were given a tough night by Champions League debutants Girona, who fell to a fifth defeat and are on the verge of elimination.
Teams finishing in the top eight will avoid an extra round of play-off matches. “If you ask me about all six games, I’m really pleased with all the results... (but) I’m far from pleased about the performance tonight,” Slot told reporters.
“(We had) hardly any control at all over the game, maybe the second half was a bit better but then I’m trying to be positive.”
Slot started fit-again goalkeeper Alisson Becker after a two-month injury lay-off and the Brazilian showed no sign of rust on a busy night.
After their Merseyside derby clash at Everton was called off because of a storm at the weekend, Slot was able to pick a fresh side, going with arguably his strongest available team to try and assure a top eight finish as soon as possible.
Newcomers Girona, who lost several key players in the summer and are still rebuilding, opted for Arnaut Danjuma in attack with support from spritely duo Bryan Gil and Yaser Asprilla.
GIRONA, SPAIN - DECEMBER 10: Arne Slot, Manager of Liverpool, interacts with Joe Gomez of Liverpool after the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 League Phase MD6 match between Girona FC and Liverpool FC at Montilivi Stadium on December 10, 2024 in Girona, Spain. (Photo by Eric Alonso/Getty Images)
GIRONA, SPAIN - DECEMBER 10: Arne Slot, Manager of Liverpool, interacts with Joe Gomez of Liverpool after the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 League Phase MD6 match between Girona FC and Liverpool FC at Montilivi Stadium on December 10, 2024 in Girona, Spain. (Photo by Eric Alonso/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Liverpool pinned the hosts back in the first 10 minutes and Girona stopper Paulo Gazzaniga pushed away a Joe Gomez header.
After that Girona found their footing on a chilly night at their sold-out Montilivi stadium, reduced to under 10,000 capacity due to UEFA regulations, and they began to put Alisson to the test.
- Alisson sharp on return -
The goalkeeper saved from Alejandro Frances and then denied former Tottenham winger Gil, who slipped as he ran through on Liverpool’s goal.
Alisson also beat away a Miguel Gutierrez drive as the qualities of the side which pushed Real Madrid close for the Spanish title last season shone through.
Liverpool's Brazilian goalkeeper #01 Alisson Becker celebrates at the end of the UEFA Champions League, league phase football match between Girona FC and Liverpool FC at the Montilivi stadium in Girona on December 10, 2024. (Photo by Josep LAGO / AFP)
Liverpool's Brazilian goalkeeper #01 Alisson Becker celebrates at the end of the UEFA Champions League, league phase football match between Girona FC and Liverpool FC at the Montilivi stadium in Girona on December 10, 2024. (Photo by Josep LAGO / AFP)Source: AFP
“Maybe the players wanted to see how fit he really was, so they gave him so much work,” joked Slot.
“Alisson has been so important for this club for so many years, and showed today he is one of the best, the best in my opinion, goalkeeper in the world.” Darwin Nunez spurned Liverpool’s first big chance after Salah slipped him in, with Gazzaniga keeping out the Uruguayan striker’s low poke.
Alisson was tested again early in the second half by former Bournemouth forward Danjuma.
The Dutchman then gave Liverpool’s defence the slip with a clever dribble but fired over, as Slot’s words ahead of the game were proven true -- Girona were better than the standings suggested.
Liverpool's Egyptian forward #11 Mohamed Salah celebrates scoring the opening goal with Liverpool's Dutch defender #04 Virgil van Dijk during the UEFA Champions League, league phase football match between Girona FC and Liverpool FC at the Montilivi stadium in Girona on December 10, 2024. (Photo by Josep LAGO / AFP)
Liverpool's Egyptian forward #11 Mohamed Salah celebrates scoring the opening goal with Liverpool's Dutch defender #04 Virgil van Dijk during the UEFA Champions League, league phase football match between Girona FC and Liverpool FC at the Montilivi stadium in Girona on December 10, 2024. (Photo by Josep LAGO / AFP)Source: AFP
Despite their valiant efforts, the Liverpool juggernaut is proving hard to stop and the Premier League leaders took the lead with a controversial penalty won by Luis Diaz.
The Colombian winger went down under a challenge from Donny van de Beek and after a VAR review, the referee pointed to the spot, much to the home side’s frustration.
Salah sent Gazzaniga the wrong way to net his 50th Champions League goal, pulling the Egyptian level with Filippo Inzaghi as the 10th highest goalscorer of all-time in the competition.
The winger is out of contract at the end of the season but his 16 goals across all competitions have been essential in Liverpool’s superb first half of the season.
Slot replaced the wasteful Nunez with Cody Gakpo as he tried to kill the game off, but Girona were deflated after conceding and unable to make further inroads as their Champions League dream draws towards a close.
“I almost feel sorry for them because they deserve so much more in this Champions League campaign than the three points they have,” admitted Slot.
CELTIC KEEP HOPES ALIVE
Celtic and Dinamo Zagreb played out an uninspiring 0-0 draw in the Champions League on Tuesday.
The result leaves both sides still firmly in contention for a place in the next stage of the tournament, with the Scottish champions sitting 17th and Zagreb in 21st.
Teams placed ninth to 24th in the new league format will enter a play-off round to reach the round of 16.
Zagreb started their campaign with a 9-2 thrashing at the hands of Bayern Munich but have won two and drawn two of their subsequent five matches, and have eight points.
Celtic have enjoyed their best recent run in European football this term under Brendan Rodgers after several disappointing seasons, and are one spot outside securing themselves a seeded draw in the play-off round.
Rodgers’ side have nine points, the same as six-times winners Bayern in 13th and one more than 2023 champions Manchester City, though both sides now have a game in hand.
The first half was one of few chances for either side, with none of the four shots recorded in the opening 45 minutes troubling either goalkeeper.
Celtic’s Nicolas Kuhn came close to breaking the deadlock early in the second period but his rifled effort on goal was deflected over the bar by home defender Maxime Bernauer.
The match then opened up a bit, with the pace of Celtic’s attacking trio of Kuhn, Daizen Maeda and Kyogo Furuhashi worrying Zagreb on the counter-attack.
Marko Pjaca unleashed from the edge of the box but his fierce goalbound effort was bravely blocked by centre-half Auston Trusty, before Celtic’s Kasper Schmeichel made a comfortable save from Martin Baturina -- the tie’s first shot on target, coming two minutes before the hour.
Furuhashi came close to touching in a cross and the previously underworked Danijel Zagorac palmed the ball out to Cameron Carter-Vickers, who blazed over from close range.
Zagreb and Celtic rang the changes, and inside the final 20 minutes the chances dried up again for both.
Schmeichel made a fine save from Pjaca on 80 minutes as the tie finished goalless, breaking Zagreb’s run of 43 games in European competition without a 0-0 draw.