Pedro Neto and Chelsea pay tribute to tragic Liverpool star Diogo Jota
Pedro Neto fought back tears as Chelsea paid tribute to Diogo Jota ahead of their Club World Cup match with Palmeiras. Jota, and his brother Andre Silva, passed away in a car crash on Thursday.
Neto, who was an international team-mate of Jota and also played with the Portugal star at Wolves, was visibly caught up with emotion as the teams held a minute's silence in Philadelphia. The Chelsea winger carried out a Blues shirt with the names of Diogo and Andre on the back before holding it with captain Enzo Fernandez as players gathered around the centre circle.
The 24-year-old was named in Chelsea's starting XI after Enzo Maresca previously indicated that Neto's involvement in the Club World Cup quarter-final would be up to the player. The attacker had missed training after discovering the news of his friend's passing in the build up to the game.
Speaking ahead of the Palmeiras match, Maresca said: "Pedro is very sad. Probably more than sad, but we are close to Pedro, to support him in this morning.
'It's completely Pedro's decision, I had a chat this morning we support him, any decision he takes is the right one, we will support him in any case. If on pitch tomorrow or not, we will support him.
"It's very sad day I struggle find words, it's very difficult, the feeling that you have is helpless in this situation. Only thing I can say is all my love for his family, a big tragedy."
Neto was not alone in playing through grief on Friday evening in the United States. Ruben Neves and Joao Cancelo broke down in tears as tributes were paid ahead of Al Hilal's match against Fluminense.
Both ex-Wolves captain Neves and former Manchester City defender Cancelo had to be comforted by team-mates as a moment was taken to reflect on their international colleague. Neves was left sobbing with his head in his hands, while Cancelo wiped away tears sank down on his haunches.
Like Neto, the duo had the decision of whether to play placed in their own hands. Head coach Simone Inzaghi had given the pair the option to miss the game if they were not feeling up to it.
Neves penned a heartbreaking tribute to his close friend minutes before kick off, before deciding to play. He said: "Bug, wherever you are I know you will read this, we were never this lame and I may now regret it a little, but you know what you mean to me as much as I know what I am to you.
"More than a friendship, we're family, and we won't stop it just because now you decided to sign a contract a little further away from us! When I go to the selection, you'll still be next to me at the dinner table, on the bus, on the plane... you'll always be there with me as always.
"Let's keep laughing, making plans, sharing our life with each other. I'm going to make sure you're always present and I'll make sure that your loved ones never lack anything while you're there, far away but thinking of us, waiting for us.
"Life has brought us together and now it can't tear us apart. We've achieved some great things together, we still have a lot to go, I know we can. From today on, you will enter the field with me and we will follow our path together, on the stage where we met.
"Diogoal, you are my favourite lemonade!! Amo-te."
Away from the United States, hundreds gathered at the wake of Jota and his younger brother in Portugal on Friday. The funeral is to take place at the Igreja Matriz de Gondomar in Sao Cosme at 10am on Saturday.
Manchester City's Bernardo Silva and Manchester United's Diogo Dalot were both among those to pay tribute in Portugal on Friday. A Liverpool contingent led by sporting director Richard Hughes was also present in addition to one of Jota's best friends in football, another ex-Wolves and Portugal star, Joao Moutinho.
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