Liverpool’s players returned to training on Tuesday, still grieving the sudden loss of forward Diogo Jota, who died in a car accident last week.
The Premier League champions had delayed the start of pre-season preparations following the tragic deaths of 28-year-old Jota and his brother, André Silva, in a crash in northern Spain last Thursday.
Manager Arne Slot, along with several members of the squad, attended Jota’s funeral in Gondomar, his hometown near Porto, on Saturday. Club captain Virgil van Dijk led the group paying their respects.
Mohamed Salah, Andy Robertson, Conor Bradley, and Wataru Endo were among those seen arriving at Liverpool’s AXA Training Centre for the team’s first session back.
Salah shared a heartfelt tribute on social media, admitting he was afraid to return to Liverpool because of the pain of facing the reality of Jota’s absence.
“Teammates come and go, but not like this,” Salah wrote on Instagram. “It’s going to be extremely difficult to accept that Diogo won’t be there when we go back.”
Outside Anfield, a growing memorial has taken shape. Supporters and former players have laid flowers, shirts, scarves and photographs in tribute to the Portugal international, whose impact at the club extended far beyond the pitch.
Liverpool are scheduled to play their first pre-season friendly on Sunday against Championship side Preston North End, but ticket sales have been paused while the club decides whether the match will go ahead.
The club’s summer schedule includes a pre-season tour of Asia, with matches planned against AC Milan in Hong Kong and Yokohama Marinos in Japan before the end of July.
As Liverpool begins its preparations for the new season, the focus remains on honouring Jota’s memory and supporting one another through a period of deep mourning.
