Mohamed Salah has admitted that the tragic death of his Liverpool teammate Diogo Jota in a car crash has left him “ frightened ” to retu...
Mohamed Salah has admitted that the tragic death of his Liverpool teammate Diogo Jota in a car crash has left him “frightened” to return to the club, as the Premier League champions postponed the start of pre-season training for some players.
Jota, 27, and his younger brother Andre Silva, 25, died in the early hours of Thursday when their car veered off a Spanish motorway and burst into flames. The brothers’ passing has left both fans and teammates reeling with shock.
In a heartfelt Instagram post on Friday, Salah, last season’s Premier League top scorer, said:
“I am truly lost for words. Until yesterday, I never thought there would be something that would frighten me of going back to Liverpool after the break.
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.
My thoughts are with his wife, his children, and of course his parents who suddenly lost their children. Those close to Diogo and his brother Andre need all the support they can get. They will never be forgotten.”
Jota had married his partner, Rute Cardoso, just days before the accident on June 22, sharing a video of the wedding on Instagram. The couple had three children.
Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk also expressed his grief, writing on Instagram that he was “absolutely devastated and in total disbelief.”
Liverpool manager Arne Slot, speaking on behalf of the club, urged unity in the wake of the tragedy:
“Everyone associated with the club owes it to Diogo to stand together and be there for one another.”
The first group of players under Slot were due to report at the club’s AXA Training Centre on Friday for medicals and fitness tests, but the club has reportedly pushed their return back to Monday.
Liverpool’s first pre-season fixture is scheduled for July 13 against Preston.
In honour of Jota and Andre, the club has opened a book of condolence and lowered flags at Anfield to half-mast. Supporters have created a makeshift shrine outside the stadium, leaving flowers, scarves, and shirts in tribute. Similar scenes have been reported outside Wolverhampton Wanderers’ Molineux Stadium, where Jota played before joining Liverpool in 2020.
Meanwhile, mourners gathered in Portugal on Friday for a wake, ahead of the brothers’ funeral on Saturday.
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