Mohamed Salah grabbed the headlines as Liverpool extended their perfect start to the new Champions League campaign. His goal was enough to beat a battling Girona side 1-0 as they played an English opponent officially for the first time. took a 60th-minute penalty from Mohamed Salah to break Girona’s resistance. The Egyptian forward wasn’t surely going to miss two in two, was he? Once they got the lead, an already difficult task for Girona became impossible. They needed to score against a Liverpool side that hadn’t conceded in the tournament after the 14th minute of the first matchday. It was not to be as Liverpool won six out of six group-stage games and are almost certain of a top-eight finish. This defeat leaves Girona in a vulnerable position, especially given the difficulty of their upcoming games.
Liverpool laid siege to Girona’s goal in the opening few minutes as Joe Gomez and Darwin Nunez tested Gazzaniga. The game then turned wide open when Daley Blind almost gave Girona the lead after arriving late into the box. Girona then had their best spell of the game with some neat passing and forced Liverpool to rethink their strategy. The game reached an impasse but Girona impressed with their ability to play out of Liverpool’s press. Despite chances late on for both sides, it was not to be. Girona were happy not to have budged under pressure. Liverpool on the other hand, needed a heavy second half again.
Danjuma had an early chance to put Girona ahead when Trent gave the ball away in a dangerous position. Liverpool later seized control of the ball and Robertson stung the palms of Gazzaniga on the hour mark. Van de Beek then stepped on Diaz’s boot to concede a soft penalty. Salah then sent Gazzaniga the wrong way to draw first blood. That spot kick brought up his 50th goal in the competition. Slot’s substitutions and the experience of this Liverpool side ensured no slip-up would occur.
Girona Player Ratings vs Liverpool
Goalkeeper
Paulo Gazzaniga: 7/10- A couple of early saves to keep out Gomez and Nunez. Enjoyed a lot with the ball under pressure from Liverpool’s forwards.
Defenders
Alejandro Frances: 7/10- Involved in a constant battle with Luis Diaz, he came out on top mostly.
Juanpe: 6.5/10- The veteran defender organised the defence well. Played his part in playing out from the back.
Ladislav Krejci: 6.5/10- Looked a bit lost early on but regained composure after a while. Was in the box challenging Diaz and could’ve salvaged the situation if not for de Beek’s intervention.
Daley Blind: 7/10- Kicked the air when he only needed a better contact to put Girona ahead. Full of runs up and down the pitch and did enough to keep Salah quiet. Was solid with the ball at his feet as well.
Midfielders
Donny Van de Beek: 5.5/10- A very disciplined performance from him to keep Jones off the attacking regions. Showed very little on the ball. A silly foul to give away a penalty.
Oriel Romeu: 6/10- Held his own defensively before growing in confidence on the ball. Faded away in the second half as Liverpool swarmed him.
Miguel Gutierrez: 7/10- Played out of position on the left of a midfield three, he showed positive intent throughout. Kept bombing forward and made a lot of crosses
Attackers
Yaser Asprilla: 7/10- Dropped deep into his own half to receive the ball and drive forward with it. Looked dangerous after shifting to the right as well but couldn’t do anything with the ball.
Bryan Gil: 6.5/10- Teased Robertson a lot on the right wing but was too lightweight to get something tangible.
Arnaut Danjuma: 6.5/10- Started the evening through the middle but shifted to the left to create opportunities. Had a wild shot at the end of the first half that sailed towards a throw-in. Wasted a couple of opportunities early in the second half after good pieces of play.
Substitutes
Cristhian Stuani: 6/10
Cristian Portu: 6/10
Ivan Martin: 6/10
Jhon Salis:6 /10
Manager
Michel: 6/10- Full credit to the manager for not abandoning his approach in this crunch game as well. Girona maintained a tight defensive structure and played out from the back quite a bit too. It was the lack of cutting-edge in front of goal that cost his side.
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Liverpool Player Ratings vs Girona
Goalkeeper
Alisson Becker: 7/10- Back in the lineup after an injury spell and back to making key saves for Liverpool. The one against Asprilla stood out the most.
Defenders
Trent Alexander-Arnold: 7/10- A mix of beautiful pings and wasteful passing rolled into one. Almost gave Girona a goal away early in the second half.
Joe Gomez: 7/10- Came the closest to scoring his first-ever senior goal. Very solid defensively to deny Danjuma again and again.
Virgil van Dijk: 7.5/10- Calm as ever on the ball and using new angles to break the lines. He didn’t need to break a sweat tonight defensively.
Andrew Robertson: 7.5/10- A good set-piece threat early on. He was forced to defend later on. More involved in the attack in the second half.
Midfielders
Ryan Gravenberch: 7/10- A little shimmy to release Nunez in the opening minutes. He kept the ball ticking in play. He was there when needed in his box to defend.
Curtis Jones: 6/10- Carried the ball around a lot but missed the final pass. Tried to play on the left wing as well but with little success.
Dominik Szoboszlai: 6/10- Very anonymous in the first half as he struggled to find space in the tight Girona midblock. Showed good energy throughout the game.
Attackers
Mohamed Salah: 8/10- A quiet first half before bursting into life after the break. Converted a second-half penalty to bring up his 50th Champions League goal.
Darwin Nunez: 6/10- Straight shot at Gazzaniga twice and failed to link up with the fellow forwards. Gave Slot no choice but to take him off.
Luis Diaz: 6/10- Easily riled up by Frances, he failed to keep his calm and deliver. Was fortunate to win a penalty from a simple situation.
Substitutes
Cody Gakpo: 6/10
Harvey Elliott: 6.5/10
Wataru Endo: N/A
Manager
Arne Slot: 6/10- The manager named a strong lineup after a surprise rest on the weekend. They weren’t at their best in front of goal and needed a second-half burst to open the scoring. But once they took the lead, Slot’s side are becoming the masters of closing games out. Substitutions could’ve been better and sooner.
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When did Girona last qualify for the Champions League?
This is Girona’s first-ever appearance in the Champions League.
Who owns Girona?
Girona is a member of the Dubai-based City Football Group.
Who was the best player on the pitch in Girona vs Liverpool?
Mohamed Salah was the best player on the pitch in Girona vs Liverpool.
Who was the worst player on the pitch in Girona vs Liverpool?
Donny Van de Beek was the worst player on the pitch in Girona vs Liverpool.