Diogo Jota funeral updates as Liverpool stars join family at emotional service
Arne Slot's emotional tribute to Diogo JotaDespite only being at Anfield for a year, Arne Slot has not only delivered success on the pitch, but assumed the ambassadorial role so associated with being Liverpool boss. Having navigated the difficult experience of the parade crash, the Dutchman was again left to speak on another tragic incident. And he delivered a powerful statement in the hours following Jota's tragic death. "What to say? What can anyone say at a time like this when the shock and the pain is so incredibly raw? I wish I had the words but I know I do not," Slot began. "All I have are feelings that I know so many people will share about a person and a player we loved dearly and a family we care so much about."My first thoughts are not those of a football manager. They are of a father, a son, a brother and an uncle and they belong to the family of Diogo and Andre Silva who have experienced such an unimaginable loss."My message to them is very clear – you will never walk alone. The players, the staff, the supporters of LiverpoolFootball Club are all with you and from what I have seen today, the same can be said of the wider family of football."This is not solely a response to tragedy. It is also a reaction to the goodness of the people involved and the respect that so many have for the boys as individuals and for the family as a whole."For us as a club, the sense of shock is absolute. Diogo was not just our player. He was a loved one to all of us. He was a teammate, a colleague, a workmate and in all of those roles he was very special."Slot continued: "When I first came to the club, one of the first songs I got to know was the one that our fans sing for Diogo. I had not worked with him previously but I knew straight away that if the Liverpool supporters, who have seen so many great players over the years, had such a unique chant for Diogo, he must have special qualities."That we have lost those qualities in such terrible circumstances is something we have not yet come to terms with. For this reason, we need everyone at the club to stand together and to be there for one another. We owe this to Diogo, to Andre Silva, to their wider family and to ourselves."My condolences go to Diogo's wife, Rute, their three beautiful children and to the parents of Diogo and Andre Silva. When the time is right, we will celebrate Diogo Jota, we will remember his goals and we will sing his song."For the time being, we will remember him as a unique human being and mourn his loss. He will never be forgotten. His name is Diogo."READ HIS EMOTIONAL TRIBUTE IN FULL HERE
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