Frightened to return: Mo Salah’s heartbreak as Liverpool mourn Jota

Reds begin pre-season training five days after car crash claims teammate’s life

Last updated:
A.K.S. Satish, Sports Editor
3 MIN READ
Liverpool players walk to attend the funeral of their teammate Diogo Jota and his brother André Silva in Gondomar, near Porto, Portugal, on Saturday.
Liverpool players walk to attend the funeral of their teammate Diogo Jota and his brother André Silva in Gondomar, near Porto, Portugal, on Saturday.
AP

Dubai: Five days after Diogo Jota’s shocking death, Liverpool players returned to training — grieving, subdued, and missing one of their brightest. Mohamed Salah, who admitted he was “frightened” to come back, led a group of solemn teammates into an emotional new chapter at the AXA Training Centre.

Salah, who shared a heartfelt tribute over the weekend, was among several players photographed arriving at the training facility on Tuesday. Floral tributes lined the gates of the centre and Anfield, as fans continued to honour the memory of Jota and his younger brother, Andre Silva.

‘It’s going to be extremely difficult’

The Egyptian forward, who missed the funeral, confessed to being deeply shaken by Jota’s sudden passing.

“I am truly lost for words,” Salah was quoted as saying by Mail Online. “Until yesterday, I never thought there would be something that would frighten me about 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.”

Salah and Jota played 151 matches together at Liverpool, combining for 19 goals. Jota made 182 appearances for the Reds, scoring 65 goals and assisting 26 more. Since joining from Wolves in 2020, he had become a key figure under Jurgen Klopp and helped Liverpool win the Premier League, FA Cup and two League Cups.

A farewell in Gondomar

Jota and Andre Silva died in a car crash around 12:30am on Thursday in the Spanish province of Zamora. Spanish police reported that their vehicle lost control during an overtaking attempt, suffered a tyre blowout, and caught fire.

The funeral took place on Saturday at the Matriz de Gondomar church, 33km from Porto. A large Liverpool delegation — including captain Virgil van Dijk, manager Arne Slot, and several teammates — travelled to Portugal to attend the service. Portuguese stars Ruben Neves, Ruben Dias and Bernardo Silva were also present.

Jota, 28, was a mainstay for both Liverpool and Portugal. He earned 49 caps for the national team and scored 14 goals. He had only recently helped Portugal win the UEFA Nations League title in 2025, adding to his earlier triumph in 2019.

Pre-season schedule in question

Liverpool’s pre-season was scheduled to begin last Friday, but the squad’s return was postponed in light of the tragedy. The club’s first friendly is slated for July 13 against Preston North End at Deepdale, though no official update has been given regarding whether the game will go ahead.

Meanwhile, Liverpool Women’s players Grace Fisk and Gemma Bonner paid tribute by laying flowers outside Anfield on behalf of the women's team.

For now, the mood at Liverpool remains one of mourning. Training may have resumed — but it’s clear the road ahead will be unlike any the Reds have walked before.

A.K.S. Satish
A.K.S. SatishSports Editor
From playing on the pitch to analysing it from the press box, Satish has spent over three decades living and breathing sport. A cricketer-turned-journalist, he has covered three Cricket World Cups, the 2025 Champions Trophy, countless IPL seasons, F1 races, horse racing classics, and tennis in Dubai. Cricket is his home ground, but he sees himself as an all-rounder - breaking stories, building pages, going live on podcasts, and interviewing legends across every corner of the sporting world. Satish started on the back pages, and earned his way to the front, now leading the sports team at Gulf News, where he has spent 25 years navigating the fast-evolving game of journalism. Whether it’s a Super-Over thriller or a behind-the-scenes story, he aims to bring insight, energy, and a fan’s heart to every piece. Because like sport, journalism is about showing up, learning every day, and giving it everything.
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