Champions League group phase leaders Liverpool secured a significant step towards the last 16 with a narrow 1-0 victory against Girona on Tuesday, thanks to a penalty converted by Mohamed Salah.
Under the guidance of coach Arne Slot, Liverpool has made an impressive start in the competition, winning all six of their matches and establishing a provisional five-point lead over second-placed Inter Milan.
Despite the win, Liverpool faced a challenging match against Girona, who were making their Champions League debut and are now on the brink of elimination after suffering their fifth defeat.
Teams finishing in the top eight will avoid an additional round of playoff matches. Slot expressed satisfaction with the results of the six games but acknowledged concerns about the team's performance in this match, stating, “(We had) hardly any control at all over the game.”
Slot fielded fit-again goalkeeper Alisson Becker, who returned after a two-month injury absence, and the Brazilian proved crucial with several key saves throughout the match.
Following the cancellation of their Merseyside derby against Everton due to severe weather, Slot was able to select a fresh lineup, aiming for a top eight finish as soon as possible.
Girona, who have lost several key players during the summer transfer window and are currently rebuilding, featured Arnaut Danjuma in attack, supported by Bryan Gil and Yaser Asprilla.
In the early stages, Liverpool dominated possession, with Paulo Gazzaniga, Girona's goalkeeper, making a crucial save from a header by Joe Gomez. However, Girona soon found their rhythm and began to challenge Alisson.
Alisson made several important saves, denying attempts from Alejandro Frances and Gil, showcasing the potential of Girona, who had previously pushed Real Madrid closely in the Spanish title race.
Despite opportunities for both teams, Liverpool took the lead with a controversial penalty awarded after Luis Diaz was fouled by Donny van de Beek, leading to Salah scoring his 50th Champions League goal.
Slot made tactical changes to solidify the lead, replacing the ineffective Darwin Nunez with Cody Gakpo, but Girona struggled to recover after conceding.
In another match, Celtic and Dinamo Zagreb played to a goalless draw, leaving both teams in contention for advancement in the tournament. Celtic currently sits in 17th place, while Zagreb is in 21st.
Despite a challenging start, Zagreb has shown resilience with two wins and two draws following a heavy opening loss to Bayern Munich. Celtic, under Brendan Rodgers, has experienced a resurgence in European football, sitting just outside the seeded draw for the playoff round.
The first half of the match was uneventful, with no shots on target. However, the second half saw increased activity, including a close effort from Celtic’s Nicolas Kuhn, who had a shot deflected over the bar.
Both teams made substitutions, but the chances diminished as the match progressed. Schmeichel made a notable save from Pjaca late in the game, resulting in a 0-0 draw, breaking Zagreb’s streak of 43 European matches without a goalless result.
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