Liverpool postpone pre-season return following death of forward Diogo Jota
However, the PA news agency understands that has been postponed as the club deals with the aftermath of the shocking tragedy which saw 28-year-old Jota and his brother Andre Silva killed in a car crash in Spain in the early hours of Thursday.
Mourners gathered at a wake in Portugal on Friday morning, ahead of the brothers' funeral at the Igreja Matriz de Gondomar in Sao Cosme at 10am on Saturday.
Portugal head coach Roberto Martinez said the country had lost 'one of its heroes'.
'We feel the family's pain and, in this tragedy, we question life in general,' he said in a video released by the Portuguese Football Federation.
'We have created a family in the national team that goes far beyond football and Diogo is an important part of that – on and off the field.
'Portugal will miss one of its heroes.'
Liverpool head coach Arne Slot said everyone associated with the club owed it to Jota to 'stand together and be there for one another'.
Our lad from Portugal. Forever ❤️ pic.twitter.com/opXUCmJqKq
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) July 3, 2025
'For us as a club, the sense of shock is absolute. Diogo was not just our player. He was a loved one to all of us. He was a team-mate, a colleague, a workmate and in all of those roles he was very special.
'We need everyone at the club to stand together and to be there for one another. We owe this to Diogo, to Andre Silva, to their wider family and to ourselves.'
Jota's team-mates have spoken of the struggle to comprehend his death, with captain Virgil van Dijk writing on Instagram he was 'absolutely devastated and in total disbelief'.
'What a human being, what a player, but most importantly what an unbelievable family man,' he added.
'A champion forever, number 20 forever. It's been a privilege to have stood by your side on the pitch, and to have been your friend off it.
Andy Robertson, who attended Jota's wedding to long-term partner Rute Cardoso less than a fortnight ago, posted: 'I can't believe we're saying goodbye. It's too soon, and it hurts so much. But thank you for being in my life, mate – and for making it better.'
A post shared by Andrew Robertson (@andyrobertson94)
'Heartbroken' former manager Jurgen Klopp, for whom his Christian faith has played a big part in his life, wrote on Instagram: 'This is a moment where I struggle! There must be a bigger purpose! But I can't see it!'
Liverpool, who are supporting Jota's family, have opened a book of condolence, both physical in the Anfield Road Stand and online, lowered flags to half-mast and closed all stores and the museum and suspended all tours until Monday.
Fans continue to leave flowers, scarves and shirts at a makeshift shrine outside Anfield and there are similar scenes at Wolves' Molineux Stadium, where he spent three years before his move to Liverpool.
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Conor Coady in Diogo Jota tribute as old Wolves pal celebrates an 'incredible person'
Coady and Jota won the Championship title together at Molineux as defender reacts to Liverpool star's death Conor Coady has paid tribute to his "amazing friend" Diogo Jota after his death. The Liverpool star was killed in a car crash in Spain in the early hours on Thursday morning, along with his brother Andre Silva. The brothers' funerals will take place today in Porto, wth the current Anfield squad in attendance to say goodbye to their teammate. Coady, who is expected to join Rangers from Leicester City in the coming days, heard of Jota's death during pre-season training with the Foxes. The pair were teammates at Wolves, winning the Championship title together in 2017-18 before qualifying for the Europa League after their first season back in the English Premier League. Coafy admitted the news hit him heard after hearing, but wants to celebrate the life of his friend. "I think we'll all remember where we were, but it goes bigger than football, what we're all feeling now," Coady told BBC Sport. "This has hit everybody hard. And it will hit everybody hard for a long, long time because Diogo was a fantastic human being, an amazing friend, an amazing husband, an amazing father and an absolute incredible footballer for all the clubs he has played for. "He was an unbelievable person. This is celebrating an incredible human being. A human being who should never left us this early and this [early] into an amazing career." You can get all the news you need on our dedicated Rangers and Celtic pages, and sign up to our newsletters to make sure you never miss a beat throughout the season. We're also WhatsApp where we bring all the latest breaking news and transfer gossip directly to you phone. Join our Rangers community here and our Celtic community here.
Daily Mirror
an hour ago
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'I owned Jota's favourite coffee shop – I texted his wife day before the crash'
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Belfast Telegraph
an hour ago
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Liverpool stars to attend funeral for team-mate Diogo Jota and his brother
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