Following the tragic death of Diogo Jota in a car crash Thursday, several Liverpool players who were scheduled to return on Friday from their summer break for an initial round of physical tests at the club’s training ground have postponed their return.
According to Liverpool, there will now be a phased return for players on Monday, reports the BBC.
Liverpool manager Arne Slot’s side are set to play their first pre-season match against Preston North End on Sunday, 13 July.
Former Liverpool goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher also paid tribute to “one of my closest friends in football”.
“We bonded over all things, sports, watching any football match we could find – often your brother Andre’s game on your iPad,” said Kelleher.
“I was surprised a lad from Portugal loved sports such as darts, snooker and horse racing so much and some of my best memories were having a laugh watching them with you.
“It’s going hurt for a long time and I’m going miss you so much but I feel so lucky to have got to know you and have such a good friend.”
A vigil for Jota and Silva will be held at the Chapel of Resurrection in their hometown of Gondomar on Friday.
There will be a funeral service at 10:00 on Saturday at the Igreja Matriz de Gondomar.
Portugal and Nottingham Forest midfielder Jota Silva laid a wreath outside the chapel, where a private wake for the brothers’ relatives took place on Friday afternoon.
Locals and fans have been paying tribute to Jota outside the football academy in Gondomar where he played from the age of nine to 17.
The academy is named after him and a picture shows Jota wearing both the colours of the Portugal national side and the yellow of his hometown club as a child.
People have also been paying their respects at Liverpool and former club Wolves, who he left in 2020 to join the Reds.
Everton players Beto and Youssef Chermiti, who are both Portuguese, and former Toffees midfielder Ian Snodin laid wreaths in Jota and Silva’s memory outside Anfield.
Liverpool have set up a book of condolences in the Anfield Road Stand reception area and an online version of the book has also been made available to be “accessible to fans across the globe”.
