Liverpool Squad to Make Decision Over Preston North End Friendly – Report | OneFootball

Liverpool’s Grief Casts Shadow Over Preston Friendly Decision

In what should have been a standard return to pre-season training, Liverpool find themselves navigating uncharted emotional territory following the devastating loss of Diogo Jota and his brother André Silva. The tragic news has left a profound scar across the squad, the club, and supporters around the world. As reported by The Liverpool Echo, the mood surrounding Arne Slot’s side is one of unity in mourning.

The squad reconvenes at the AXA Training Centre on Tuesday 8 July, just days after attending the brothers’ funeral in Gondomar. According to the report, Liverpool’s players and staff were given additional days off to grieve, having travelled together to Portugal where they paid tribute to the 28-year-old forward and his brother. Captain Virgil van Dijk led the delegation, standing shoulder to shoulder with teammates, staff, and Portuguese dignitaries.

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Delicate Decisions Amid Devastation

Liverpool’s scheduled friendly with Preston North End on Sunday remains in limbo. “No formal cancellation has been announced,” states the Liverpool Echo, “but it’s reported that the final call rests with the squad’s collective readiness.” Preston, in a show of class and respect, are already preparing tributes should the match go ahead.

There are no easy choices in times like this. Football fades into the background as human loss takes centre stage. Slot, already praised for his emotional intelligence, now faces the unimaginable task of guiding his players through grief while gently resuming competitive preparations.

Tour Plans and Emotional Recovery

Even amid this tragedy, the wheels of the footballing calendar continue to turn. Liverpool’s summer tour remains on schedule, with marquee fixtures lined up against AC Milan in Hong Kong on 26 July and Yokohama F. Marinos on 30 July at the iconic Nissan Stadium in Japan.

The tour concludes with an unprecedented double-header at Anfield on 4 August, where the Reds will take on Athletic Bilbao in two matches at 5 pm and 8 pm. These fixtures, now more than just warm-ups, are likely to carry added emotional weight for the squad and supporters alike.

Tributes Planned for Jota

LFCTV have announced a commemorative programme titled “Remembering Diogo: Our Number 20”. This is more than a documentary; it is a celebration of a player who gave so much to the shirt and a man whose impact was felt deeply in the dressing room. Jota was loved not just for his pressing and goals, but for his humility, his infectious smile, and his quiet leadership.

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The pain still doesn’t feel real. Diogo Jota wasn’t just a number on the team sheet. He was our spark in the tight games, the player who made things happen when it seemed like nothing would. Whether off the bench or in the starting eleven, he delivered with a hunger that fans instantly loved. That left foot, that movement, that grin when he netted at the Kop end — gone far too soon.

This isn’t just about a footballer. This is about a man who wore the badge with pride, who gave his all every time he stepped on the pitch. He’d just lifted the Premier League title. He should be talking about defending it now, not being remembered in the past tense. And to lose his brother too? It’s unfathomable.

Arne Slot and this squad have a mountain to climb emotionally. Football will return, as it always does, but this will linger. Maybe the Preston game goes ahead, maybe it doesn’t. Either way, it will not feel like pre-season. It will feel like goodbye.

All we can do now is honour him. Sing his name. Remember his goals. Keep his spirit alive at Anfield. Number 20, forever in our hearts.