Liverpool honour ‘champion’ Diogo Jota in return to action at Preston North End
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Fans remember Liverpool's late Portuguese attacker Diogo Jota following the pre-season friendly football match on July 13.
PHOTO: AFP
LIVERPOOL – Diogo Jota was hailed as “a champion” on July 13 by Liverpool manager Arne Slot as the Reds returned to the field for the first time since the Portuguese player’s death, defeating Preston North End 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 went off the road and burst into flames in 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.
Jota was part of the Liverpool side who won the English Premier League last season and, in his final match, he helped Portugal beat Spain to win the Nations League in June.
“I think what I take comfort in is that in the last month of his life he was a champion in everything,” Slot said 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 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. Liam Lindsay found the net for the hosts.
Multiple renditions of Jota’s song, proclaiming him to be better than Portugal legend Luis Figo, were belted out by the Liverpool support before a ball was even kicked.
In the crowd, flags emblazoned with “forever our No. 20” paid tribute to the man who died aged just 28.
Liverpool announced on July 11 that the club will retire Jota’s No. 20 in his memory.
Jota’s song was then sung on a loop at full-time as the Liverpool squad stood in front of their fans and applauded.
“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 last 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 before Jota’s death, breaking the club’s record fee for Florian Wirtz as well as recruiting Frimpong and Kerkez in a bid to retain the league title.
“It must be devastating for his family, his teammates but I think it will really unite and galvanise them to try and win the league for him,” said another supporter, Diggy Anderson, 60.
Liverpool are next in action on an Asian tour, playing AC Milan in Hong Kong on July 26 and then away to Japanese side Yokohama F. Marinos on July 30. AFP
