Liverpool’s perfect Champions League campaign continued with a sixth win and a fifth clean sheet after Arne Slot’s side failed to concede a single goal since the third minute of the opening night. They also have their goalkeeper back and on a cold evening in Montilivi these things were linked. Mohamed Salah’s penalty secured a 1-0 win over Girona, but that was also down to Alisson Becker, who made five saves on his return to effectively secure a place in the round of 16 two games early.

If the recording is perfect, the performance wasn’t. In the end it was enough: objective and perhaps a little bureaucratic. The penalty that led to the win was certainly awarded to them by the video assistant referee. When Girona threatened, the Brazilian helped keep them at bay. And then, not for the first time, they secured the win in the second half, allowing them to stay at the top of the table and almost certainly skip a round, that extra break that Slot had said they would welcome were.

For Girona, the first Champions League season is almost over. This competition came unexpectedly and also early, perhaps too early. They were La Liga’s great revelation last season, but like so many overperforming teams, they had to let players go in the summer – the departures of Artem Dovbyk and Aleix García were particularly damaging – and injuries have slowed the rebuild. They weren’t quite ready for this competition either: the original idea of ​​playing at Espanyol, 60 miles away, didn’t come to fruition and the scaffolding stands at Montilivi were closed by Uefa, reducing capacity to under 10,000.

So far it hasn’t come true either, this dream was a little different than they had imagined, the visitors – Slovan Bratislava and Feyenoord – were probably a little disappointing. Despite the relatively good football schedule, the results were also poor, Girona went into this game in 30th place with a single win. Liverpool, Milan and Arsenal did not invite optimism. “It is ideal but not impossible,” said Oriol Romeu. However, Liverpool’s arrival sparked a sense of occasion; They were the club that coach Michel most wanted to play against, and that also applies to the fans. “This is a big evening,” said the club’s president.

The best way to achieve this was through competition. At least in the first half they did. And there they found Alisson in the way. “I’m really happy to be back,” the goalkeeper said as he boarded the plane. His teammates were also happy.

It was the second touch of the game, the kick-off sending him in that direction so he could reacquaint himself with the ball, and it would also be the most crucial of the first half. It took 11 minutes for him to make the first of four saves in the opening period. It started with Bryan Gil bursting through the middle and passing the ball to the left for Miguel Gutiérrez. His cross evaded his original target, Daley Blind, but it fell to Ladislav Krejci, whose side-footed shot was stopped by the goalkeeper.

That was the first time Girona had crossed the halfway line and Liverpool had already seen a header chance from Joe Gomez saved by Paulo Gazzaniga and that seemed to awaken something in them. Liverpool had moved the ball comfortably, perhaps even a little bureaucratically, now they were made aware that they were in a game. Girona had seen ways out and ways to harm the visitors. A moment later Gil was all alone in the back. Liverpool seemed surprised that the flag had not been raised; even more unexpectedly, Gil slipped within the area. He managed to block a shot from the ground, but Alisson saved.

The noise level rose; Girona had arrived. There was another shot, which was hit by Gutiérrez. Alisson extended an arm to block the ball and Gil sent the follow-up over the bar.

That opened now. Liverpool actually still had more possession and there were opportunities for them, Darwin Núñez headed just wide. But the approach worked for Girona. Ryan Gravenberch and Andy Robertson blocked successive shots from Arnaut Danjuma and Alejandro Francés before Alisson then caught a cross and sent Liverpool racing away. Salah led the attack and the move ended with Núñez heading a long, deflected cross into his own feet. The Uruguayan was then pushed into the goal by Salah’s angled ball. Gazzaniga saved with his right foot. The fact that it was still 0-0 was mainly thanks to the two goalkeepers.

Alisson closed the first half with a fourth save, denying Yáser Asprilla, and opened the second half with a fifth save, this time from Danjuma.

That was different now. Liverpool took control of the game, or at least the ball. However, when Girona were pushed deeper into their own area, at that point they seemed comfortable enough to hold their opponents. Liverpool had little room to maneuver and struggled to find a way. Girona formed a steadfast wall, the ball was moved from side to side across the front of the penalty area and back again, but most of the plays ended with low crosses that reached no real target and were easily headed away. When a small gap actually opened, Gazzaniga saved from Robertson.

And then it happened. Another ball, again deep, came to Luis Díaz, who went down after a foul by Donny van de Beek. There didn’t seem to be much in it and there were no real objections, but the Colombian stayed down and as Liverpool prepared for a corner, Benoît Bastien signaled them to take a break with a finger to his ear. Eventually he was called to the VAR screen to take a look. There was still not much to see, Van de Beek behind Díaz was in the contact light, but he had seen enough.

The Colombian’s boot, which was removed during the challenge, provided sufficient evidence. There had been three missed Champions League penalties here this season, but Salah didn’t do as well as Bojan Miovski, Cristhian Stuani and Ayase Ueda, scoring his 16th of the season; Of Liverpool’s last 23 goals, it was the 20th to come in the second half and it was done.