The death of Diogo Jota has impacted Liverpool’s players in several ways and ahead of facing the Portuguese’s former club, Wolves, Virgil van Dijk has opened up on the impact of his passing
Virgil van Dijk says that Liverpool are ‘still coming to terms’ with Diogo Jota’s tragic death. Jota, who was 28, died alongside his brother, Andre Silva, in a car crash in July.
On Saturday, Liverpool and Wolves, the Portuguese’s final two clubs, face off at Anfield in the Premier League. It marks the first time that the teams have met since the brothers’ deaths.
Jota’s wife, Rute, will be at the match while their two sons, Dinis and Duarte, are both set to be mascots and walk out with the players. In a classy tribute, Van Dijk dedicated a portion of his programme notes to Jota and his family.
“Saturday marks our last fixture of 2025 and when I reflect back on the year there have been a wide range of emotions for everybody at the club,” the Liverpool captain began. “There have been some incredible highs, of course.
“To become Premier League champions, as we did back in April, was incredible. Lifting that trophy in front of you guys at Anfield is a memory that I will never forget, I can assure you. It was a real team effort and a deserved reward for a season of hard work, on and off the pitch.
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“Soon after that, though, came the most devastating of lows. The loss of Diogo Jota and his brother Andre Silva in July was something none of us could ever have prepared for, and something all of us are still coming to terms with.
“Our thoughts, as ever, remain with Diogo and Andre’s family. They will never, ever be forgotten, and we will carry their memory always.”
Van Dijk went on to write: “In terms of football, this season has been mixed, to say the least. We have seen a lot of changes in terms of the squad, with players leaving and new players arriving, and I think it’s fair to say that we have not yet shown our very best, in terms of consistency.
“We have had some good games and some memorable victories, still, but it has also been extremely challenging, with some really tough moments along the way. As captain, trust me when I say I feel those tough moments as much as anyone.
“Now though, the focus is solely on Saturday’s game against Wolverhampton Wanderers, where we will be looking to build on some positive recent results, and end the year on a high in front of our supporters at Anfield.
“I know that a lot of people will be looking at this game, looking at our opponents’ position in the league table and expecting us to win, but we know that this will be an extremely tough game against a team which will have a lot of motivation.”
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Sky Sports discounted Premier League and EFL package
Sky has slashed the price of its Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle ahead of the 2025/26 season, saving members £192 and offering more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more.
Sky will show at least 215 live Premier League games next season, an increase of up to 100 more.
