Liverpool to honour Jota in return to action at Preston
Jota and Silva were killed in a car crash in northern Spain on July 3.
Liverpool's return to pre-season training was delayed until Tuesday as a result.
However, the match at English Championship side Preston will go ahead as scheduled in the first of Liverpool's pre-season friendlies.
A rendition of Liverpool's anthem 'You'll Never Walk Alone' will be played prior to the 1400GMT kick-off and Preston will lay a wreath in front of the away supporters.
A minute's silence will then be observed, digital tributes displayed on the stadium big screen and on pitchside advertising boards and players from both teams will wear black armbands.
Father of three Jota, who married his long-term partner Rute Cardoso 11 days before the accident, died alongside his brother after a Lamborghini they were travelling came off the road and burst into flames.
A fan adds a message to a memorial wall created near Anfield Stadium following the death of Liverpool soccer player Diogo Jota in Liverpool, Britain. Reuters
Liverpool manager Arne Slot and a number of first-team players, led by captain Virgil van Dijk, attended Jota's funeral last Saturday.
Liverpool icon Steven Gerrard paid his respects to Diogo and Silva with a personal tribute at Anfield on Friday morning.
The Liverpool legend added flowers to the memorial site outside the Main Stand, which features hundreds of condolences to Diogo and Andre, who died in a road traffic accident last Thursday.
He was joined by members of the Steven Gerrard Academy in laying a tribute to the two brothers.
As Liverpool players return to pre-season training, a number of first team players including Milos Kerkez, Armin Pecsi and Dominik Szoboszlai laid flowers at the site of condolences for the brothers on Thursday.
Former Reds midfielder Adam Lallana, meanwhile, paid his respects outside the Main Stand, where there are many hundreds of tributes from fans, friends, members of the public and the club.
A mural near Anfield on Sybil Road – one of several supporter-led initiatives – has also been created by Murwalls. The powerful 'Forever 20' artwork is being adorned by personal messages.
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Liverpool honour 'champion' Jota in return to action at Preston
Diogo Jota was hailed "a champion" on Sunday by Liverpool manager Arne Slot as the Reds returned to the field for the first time since the Portuguese's death by beating Preston 3-1 in a pre-season friendly. Father of three Jota died alongside his brother Andre Silva on July 3, 11 days after marrying his long-term partner Rute Cardoso, after their car came off the road and burst into flames in northern Spain. A rendition of Liverpool's anthem "You'll Never Walk Alone" was played before kick-off at Deepdale and Preston captain Ben Whiteman laid a wreath in front of the away supporters. A minute's silence was then observed and both teams wore black armbands. "I think what I take comfort in is that in the last month of his life he was a champion in everything," Slot said in an interview ahead of the match. "A champion for his family, which is the main and most important thing, because he got married. "A champion for his country because he won the Nations League with a country that he cared about so much, because he also wore the flag when we had celebrations. "And of course a champion for us by winning the Premier League." Mohamed Salah was among the Liverpool starting line-up and captain for the day as Virgil van Dijk was left out of the playing squad but was still in attendance. Three of the players who travelled to Gondomar, just outside Porto, for Jota's funeral last weekend, Conor Bradley, Darwin Nunez and Cody Gakpo scored the goals in Liverpool's first steps back towards normality. Multiple renditions of Jota's song, proclaiming him to be better than Portugal legend Figo, were belted out by the Liverpool support before a ball was even kicked. In the crowd, flags emblazoned with "forever our number 20" paid tribute to the man who died aged just 28. Liverpool announced on Friday that the club will retire Jota's number 20 in his memory. "It's just hit the city hard," said Liverpool fan and security officer Thomas McAllister, 48. "Once a Liverpool player you become part of the family and we take you to our hearts. It's like someone in the family has died." Earlier this week Slot and his wife joined several players in attending the tributes that have appeared to Jota and his brother outside Anfield. "We will always carry him with us in our hearts, in our thoughts, wherever we go," added Slot. Georgian goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili and defenders Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez made their Liverpool debuts as Slot named two entirely different sides for each half. Liverpool had spent big in the transfer market prior to Jota's passing, breaking the club's record fee for Florian Wirtz as well as recruiting Frimpong and Kerkez in a bid to retain the Premier League title. "It must be devastating for his family, his team-mates but I think it will really unite and galvanise them to try and win the league for him," said another supporter Diggy Anderson, 60.
Al Etihad
2 hours ago
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Liverpool pay emotional tribute to Jota ahead of Preston friendly
13 July 2025 19:37 London (PA Media/dpa) Liverpool paid an emotional tribute to Diogo Jota and his brother Andre Silva ahead of Sunday's pre-season friendly at Preston on match was Liverpool's first since the two men were killed in a car accident in Spain on July 3, and before kick-off there was a rendition of 'You'll Never Walk Alone' and Preston's club song 'Can't Help Falling In Love With You' performed by Claudio Rose Maguire, wife of former Preston player Sean. As Maguire sang Liverpool's anthem, Preston captain Ben Whiteman laid a wreath in front of the visiting fans, with the Bill Shankly Kop dominated by banners and scarves bearing Jota's name. Liverpool supporters had sung the first of many renditions of his song 20 minutes before had been questions over whether this game would go ahead as Liverpool players - several of whom attended the funeral of the two brothers in Portugal last Saturday - were given extra time before reporting for pre-season training, but it became an opportunity to honour their 28, and Silva, 25, were killed when a tyre on the car in which they were travelling burst in Zamora, northern Spain. Jota's death came just 11 days after he had married his long-time partner have announced that Jota's number 20 shirt will be retired at all levels within the club."We will always carry him with us in our hearts, in our thoughts, wherever we go," boss Arne Slot said on the club website. "To retire his shirt is the one thing we could, should and have done. "I think what I take comfort in (is that) in the last month of his life he was a champion in everything. A champion for his family, which is the main and most important thing, because he got married. "A champion for his country because he won the Nations League, (with) a country that he cared about so much, because he also wore the flag when we had celebrations. And of course a champion for us by winning the Premier League."Asked about the decision to play Sunday's game, Slot said: "Nothing seems to be important if we think of what has happened. But we are a football club and we need to train and we need to play again, if we want it or not."It's very difficult to find the right words because we constantly debate what is appropriate. What is appropriate in our actions? What is appropriate (for) what we have to say? Can we train again? Can we laugh again? Can we be angry if there's a wrong decision? "And I've said to them, maybe the best thing for us to do is handle this situation like Jota. And what I meant with that is that Jota was always himself, it didn't matter if he was talking to me, to his team-mates, to the staff, he was always himself. So let us try to be ourselves as well."Mohamed Salah captained a young Liverpool side, with Giorgi Mamardashvili getting the nod in goal and fellow new signings Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez amongst the substitutes. New £100 million ($135 million) midfielder Florian Wirtz was not in the matchday squad.
Gulf Today
a day ago
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Liverpool to honour Jota in return to action at Preston
Liverpool have announced a series of tributes to Diogo Jota and his brother Andre Silva when the Reds return to action on Sunday at Preston for the first time since the Portuguese international's death. Jota and Silva were killed in a car crash in northern Spain on July 3. Liverpool's return to pre-season training was delayed until Tuesday as a result. However, the match at English Championship side Preston will go ahead as scheduled in the first of Liverpool's pre-season friendlies. A rendition of Liverpool's anthem 'You'll Never Walk Alone' will be played prior to the 1400GMT kick-off and Preston will lay a wreath in front of the away supporters. A minute's silence will then be observed, digital tributes displayed on the stadium big screen and on pitchside advertising boards and players from both teams will wear black armbands. Father of three Jota, who married his long-term partner Rute Cardoso 11 days before the accident, died alongside his brother after a Lamborghini they were travelling came off the road and burst into flames. A fan adds a message to a memorial wall created near Anfield Stadium following the death of Liverpool soccer player Diogo Jota in Liverpool, Britain. Reuters Liverpool manager Arne Slot and a number of first-team players, led by captain Virgil van Dijk, attended Jota's funeral last Saturday. Liverpool icon Steven Gerrard paid his respects to Diogo and Silva with a personal tribute at Anfield on Friday morning. The Liverpool legend added flowers to the memorial site outside the Main Stand, which features hundreds of condolences to Diogo and Andre, who died in a road traffic accident last Thursday. He was joined by members of the Steven Gerrard Academy in laying a tribute to the two brothers. As Liverpool players return to pre-season training, a number of first team players including Milos Kerkez, Armin Pecsi and Dominik Szoboszlai laid flowers at the site of condolences for the brothers on Thursday. Former Reds midfielder Adam Lallana, meanwhile, paid his respects outside the Main Stand, where there are many hundreds of tributes from fans, friends, members of the public and the club. A mural near Anfield on Sybil Road – one of several supporter-led initiatives – has also been created by Murwalls. The powerful 'Forever 20' artwork is being adorned by personal messages. Indo-Asian News Service
