- Liverpool manager Arne Slot says the team misses Diogo Jota, both on and off the pitch
- Jota tragically died in a car accident last summer at age 28
- Andy Robertson revealed he was emotionally affected before Scotland’s 2026 World Cup qualification
Liverpool manager Arne Slot has spoken about the profound impact of losing Diogo Jota, both as a player and as a person.
The Portuguese winger tragically died in a car accident last summer at the age of 28.
Jota’s former Liverpool teammate, Andy Robertson, revealed he had “been in bits” earlier on Tuesday, before Scotland secured their 2026 World Cup qualification with a dramatic win over Denmark.
“I couldn’t get my mate Diogo Jota out of my head today,” Robertson said.
“We talked so much about going to the World Cup because he missed the last one with Portugal, and I did with Scotland. I know he’d be smiling for me today.”
Slot, responding to Robertson’s comments, said:
“I saw the interview live, and I know it’s an emotional issue for us, which is completely normal. At this moment, I always think about how it must feel for his wife and children. It’s so much harder for them than it is for us. But it is clear that we miss him, both as a player and as a person.”
Liverpool have struggled in recent Premier League matches, losing four of their last five games, including a 3-0 defeat to Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium before the international break. This left the Reds eighth in the table, eight points behind league leaders Arsenal. They will host Nottingham Forest at Anfield on Saturday (15:00 GMT).
Slot reflected on Jota’s impact in last season’s fixture against Forest:
“Last season at Forest, we were 1-0 down, and it only took him one minute to score the equaliser. That’s the player we miss. And clearly, we also miss him as a person.”
Slot confirmed that goalkeeper Alisson Becker is available after a six-week hamstring injury, while Conor Bradley and Florian Wirtz remain sidelined with unspecified injuries.
