Liverpool players return to training after Diogo Jota’s tragic death

Liverpool’s squad returned to training on Tuesday for the first time since the death of forward Diogo Jota, who was killed alongside his brother Andre Silva in a car crash in northern Spain last Thursday.

The Premier League champions had postponed the start of pre-season preparations as the club mourned the 28-year-old Portuguese international. Manager Arne Slot and captain Virgil van Dijk were among several players who attended Jota’s funeral in Gondomar, near Porto, on Saturday.

Mohamed Salah, Andy Robertson, Conor Bradley and Wataru Endo were seen arriving at the training ground. Salah had paid a heartfelt tribute on Instagram earlier, writing, “Teammates come and go but not like this. It’s going to be extremely difficult to accept that Diogo won’t be there when we go back.”

A memorial site has been created at Anfield, where supporters have left flowers, shirts and messages of condolence.

Liverpool are scheduled to face Preston in a pre-season friendly on Sunday, though ticket sales have been suspended pending a decision on whether the match will proceed. The club also plans an Asian tour later this month, with fixtures against AC Milan and Yokohama Marinos.

(Source: AFP)