The world champion beat the Norwegian Mina Fürst Holtmann by 16/100 and the Swiss Michelle Gisin by 23/100.
A World Cup slalom podium without Shiffrin or Vlhova, that hadn't happened for more than six years and Flachau (Austria) in January 2016, a crazy series of 53 races which is interrupted.
More worrying for Shiffrin, his 9th place came without making a huge mistake, due to a completely missed second run (24th time).
Apart from three outings, this is his worst result in slalom on the world circuit since November 2014 (11th in Levi in Finland).
The 26-year-old American continues her solid winter, but with some air pockets.
With twelve podiums including four victories on the world circuit, she missed the Beijing Olympics last month, leaving without any medals and with three astonishing outings in six races.
Shiffrin had raised his head after China with two podiums, in super-G in Lenzerheide (2nd) then Friday in giant in Are (3rd), but gave the opportunity to Vlhova, winner of the giant on Friday, to get closer to the general as she walked away.
The triple winner of the big globe (from 2017 to 2019) is only 56 points ahead of the Slovakian defending champion.
There are four races left to run (a downhill, a super-G, a slalom, a giant) next week during the Courchevel and Méribel finals, for complete suspense.
The slalom globe was already played before Saturday's race, acquired for Petra Vlhova.
In front, Liensberger took advantage of the bankruptcy of the favorites to regain victory for the first time this season, in the station where she had won the first success of her career in the World Cup last winter.
Slovak Petra Vlhova in the finish area after the second slalom run in Are, March 12, 2022 Pontus LUNDAHL TT News Agency/AFP
For Holtmann, at only 26 years old, it is the second individual podium of his career after his 2nd place on the giant of Courchevel in December 2019.
The French Nastasia Noens finished 22nd, she is qualified for the slalom finals in a week.
© 2022 AFP