Liverpool play first game after Jota's death, Slot: Players should act according to emotions

Liverpool manager Arne Slott said today that his players should be themselves and act according to their emotions as they deal with the death of teammate Diogo Jota.

Jota and his younger brother Andre Silva died on July 3 in a car accident in the Spanish province of Zamora.

Liverpool players are preparing for the new season, and today they play a friendly match against Preston.

"If we want to laugh, we laugh, if we want to cry, we will cry. If they want to train, they can train, if they don't want to train, they can't train. Be yourself, don't think you have to be different from what your emotions tell you," Slot told club television, in his first interview since Žota's death, reported the BBC.

"He will always be in our hearts, in our thoughts, wherever we go," added the Premier League champions' coach.

In Žota's honor, Liverpool retired the number 20 jersey in the men's and women's football academy teams.

Several tributes are planned for the game against Preston, including a rendition of Liverpool's anthem "You'll Never Walk Alone" and a minute's silence, and players from both teams will wear black.

"Nothing seems important when you think about what happened. But we are a football club and we have to train and play again, whether we like it or not. What I said to the players, I can repeat. It is difficult to find the right words because we are constantly discussing what is appropriate. What is appropriate in our actions? What is appropriate for what we have to say? Can we train again? Can we laugh again? Can we be angry if the wrong decision is made?" Slot said.

"And I told them, maybe it's best for us to deal with this situation the way Žota was. And by that I meant that Žota was always himself, it didn't matter if he talked to me, to his teammates, to the coaches, he was always himself. So, let's try to be ourselves too," he added.

Žota played 182 games and scored 65 goals for Liverpool, with whom he won the Premier League, FA Cup and League Cup.

He played his last match on 8 June, in the Nations League final, when Portugal defeated Spain on penalties. He played 49 matches for Portugal, scoring 14 goals.