(SP)BRITAIN-LIVERPOOL-FOOTBALL-DIOGO JOTA-TRIBUTE
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The Sun
an hour ago
- The Sun
Neto grieves Jota's death as Chelsea face Palmeiras in Club World Cup
CHELSEA manager Enzo Maresca confirmed on Thursday that forward Pedro Neto will decide whether to play in Friday's Club World Cup quarter-final against Palmeiras, as the Portuguese international mourns the tragic death of his close friend and team mate Diogo Jota. Jota, a Liverpool forward, and his brother were killed in a car accident in northwestern Spain on Thursday morning when their Lamborghini veered off the road and caught fire. Neto, deeply affected by the loss, was excused from training but chose to remain with the squad in Philadelphia. 'It's a difficult moment. You feel helpless,' Maresca said in a press conference. 'Pedro is more than sad, and we are all here to support him. Any decision he makes—whether to play or not—is the right one, and we will back him fully.' Neto's potential absence adds a layer of uncertainty for Chelsea, who are preparing to face a Palmeiras side featuring 18-year-old winger Estevao, a player set to join the Blues after the tournament. Estevao was signed last year for an initial 34 million euros, with add-ons potentially bringing the deal to 67 million, according to British media. The teenager admitted that the move has been an emotional distraction. 'It's been hard balancing the emotions of playing my final games for Palmeiras while also thinking about my future at Chelsea,' Estevao said earlier this week. However, Maresca dismissed suggestions that Estevao's impending transfer could influence Chelsea's preparations. 'When we prepare for games, we prepare for the team, not for one player,' Maresca said. 'Estevao is a Palmeiras player right now. I've never spoken to him, though I've met his family. Now is not the time to discuss the future.' The Chelsea manager also praised Brazilian football, emphasising his respect for the South American giants. 'I've always respected Brazilian football; I didn't need this competition to understand how good they are,' he said. 'Palmeiras have shown their quality and will continue to do so.' Chelsea face a significant challenge in Palmeiras, who advanced to the quarter-finals with a 1-0 extra-time win over Botafogo. With Neto's participation uncertain and Estevao looking to leave his mark before departing for London, the quarter-final promises to be a gripping encounter.
The Star
3 hours ago
- The Star
Soccer-Neto grieves Jota's death as Chelsea face Palmeiras in Club World Cup
Flowers lie on photographs of Liverpool's Portuguese soccer player Diogo Jota, who died in a car crash near Zamora, Spain, outside Gondomar stadium in Gondomar, Portugal, July 3, 2025. REUTERS/Pedro Nunes PHILADELPHIA (Reuters) -Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca confirmed on Thursday that forward Pedro Neto will decide whether to play in Friday's Club World Cup quarter-final against Palmeiras, as the Portuguese international mourns the tragic death of his close friend and team mate Diogo Jota. Jota, a Liverpool forward, and his brother were killed in a car accident in northwestern Spain on Thursday morning when their Lamborghini veered off the road and caught fire. Neto, deeply affected by the loss, was excused from training but chose to remain with the squad in Philadelphia. 'It's a difficult moment. You feel helpless,' Maresca said in a press conference. 'Pedro is more than sad, and we are all here to support him. Any decision he makes—whether to play or not—is the right one, and we will back him fully.' Neto's potential absence adds a layer of uncertainty for Chelsea, who are preparing to face a Palmeiras side featuring 18-year-old winger Estevao, a player set to join the Blues after the tournament. Estevao was signed last year for an initial 34 million euros, with add-ons potentially bringing the deal to 67 million, according to British media. The teenager admitted that the move has been an emotional distraction. 'It's been hard balancing the emotions of playing my final games for Palmeiras while also thinking about my future at Chelsea,' Estevao said earlier this week. However, Maresca dismissed suggestions that Estevao's impending transfer could influence Chelsea's preparations. 'When we prepare for games, we prepare for the team, not for one player,' Maresca said. 'Estevao is a Palmeiras player right now. I've never spoken to him, though I've met his family. Now is not the time to discuss the future.' The Chelsea manager also praised Brazilian football, emphasising his respect for the South American giants. 'I've always respected Brazilian football; I didn't need this competition to understand how good they are,' he said. 'Palmeiras have shown their quality and will continue to do so.' Chelsea face a significant challenge in Palmeiras, who advanced to the quarter-finals with a 1-0 extra-time win over Botafogo. With Neto's participation uncertain and Estevao looking to leave his mark before departing for London, the quarter-final promises to be a gripping encounter. (Reporting by Fernando Kallas; Editing by Michael Perry)
Malay Mail
3 hours ago
- Malay Mail
‘Difficult day': Al Hilal's Portuguese duo mourn Diogo Jota after fatal crash before Club World Cup quarter-final
ORLANDO, July 4 — Al Hilal coach Simone Inzaghi said the death of Liverpool and Portugal forward Diogo Jota had impacted his team ahead of their Club World Cup quarter-final against Fluminense on Friday. The Saudi club's full-back Joao Cancelo is a Portugal international and midfielder Ruben Neves was a team-mate of Jota with both the Portugal national team and at Premier League club Wolverhampton Wanderers. The 28-year-old Jota died alongside his younger brother Andre after their vehicle veered off a motorway in northern Spain before bursting into flames on Thursday. 'We all know it's a sad day because of what happened to Diogo and Andre, unfortunately, these are things that shouldn't happen, which happened,' said the Italian. 'As we are all aware, we have two Portuguese players, Ruben Neves and Cancelo, who were very close to the guys. Clearly today was a difficult day for everyone. We tried to work but clearly, the atmosphere today was not the same as other days. It was a tragedy,' he added. Al Hilal left-back Moteb Al Alharbi said the team had tried to be supportive to the Portuguese pair. 'From the moment we woke up today we were shocked by the news. They are team-mates of his and we all felt the sadness but we were all around them. I also believe they will be ready although they have this shocking news,' he said. 'They were not at their best emotionally but I believe they will be focused for the game,' added Saudi winger Khalid Alghannam. — AFP
