Liverpool’s stars were visibly emotional as the club’s supporters passionately sang about Diogo Jota following the Reds’ first match since the star’s passing. For seven poignant minutes after the final whistle, Liverpool staff and players stood in awe, applauding as their fans paid tribute to their beloved teammate.
The devoted Liverpool supporters raised their voices on what had already been a deeply emotional day. Virgil van Dijk pulled Darwin Nunez close to provide comfort, while Andy Robertson struggled to hold back tears during the tribute. Players joined in alongside Mohamed Salah, with Kostas Tsimikas making an effort to sing along, all clearly moved by the heartfelt moment.
It was a touching scene at Deepdale, where Arne Slot also appeared affected by the powerful display, which felt more significant than the training Liverpool’s stars engaged in against Preston. The day was filled with emotion.
The afternoon opened with a rendition of ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’ by Claudia Rose Maguire, the wife of former Preston player Sean, before kick-off. Preston captain Ben Whiteman walked the length of the pitch to lay a wreath in front of the visiting fans, while banners and scarves bearing Jota’s name adorned the Bill Shankly stand.
Jota’s name echoed well before that, with Liverpool’s fans ensuring he was celebrated throughout the match. When they chanted his name after 20 minutes, in honoring his retired squad number, supporters in every corner of Deepdale rose to their feet in applause.
Conor Bradley looked skyward when he opened the scoring after 33 minutes, soon joined by his teammates. Darwin made sure to replicate two of Jota’s iconic celebrations when he scored, while Cody Gakpo clapped his hands together like the Portuguese star before signaling the number 20 with his fingers.
The Reds triumphed with a 3-1 victory, having handed debuts to the likes of Giorgi Mamardashvili, Milos Kerkez, and Jeremie Frimpong, yet all attention remained on Diogo Jota. Commentator John Bradley reflected on the challenge of covering the match. “Thanks for all the lovely messages,” he shared. “This was the hardest commentary I’ve ever done in my life. I hope we conveyed the special atmosphere of Deepdale today. I feel a bit broken now, and I apologize for the tears, but in that moment, it couldn’t be helped.”
Before the match, Slot expressed heartfelt sentiments, urging his squad to embrace their emotions. The Dutchman wanted his team to embody the characteristics they loved in Diogo Jota and keep the player in their thoughts. “Nothing seems important when we consider what has happened,” said Slot. “But we are a football club, and we need to train and play again, whether we want to or not.
“What I’ve shared with the players, I can convey here as well. It’s challenging to find the right words because we continuously discuss what is appropriate. What reflects our actions? What should we say? Can we train again? Can we laugh again? Can we express frustration over a wrong decision?
“I’ve suggested to them that perhaps the best way to handle this situation is to be like Diogo Jota. He was always true to himself, whether talking to me, teammates, or staff. So let us strive to be ourselves too. If we want to laugh, we laugh; if we want to cry, we cry. If they feel like training, they can train; if they don’t, they don’t have to. Just be yourself; don’t think you have to act differently than what your emotions dictate.”
