Liverpool midfielder Stefan Bajcetic has paid tribute to Diogo Jota after the striker died after being involved in a car accident
Stefan Bajcetic and Diogo Jota of Liverpool during a training session at the Lincoln Financial Field
Stefan Bajcetic and Diogo Jota of Liverpool during a training session at the Lincoln Financial Field
Stefan Bajcetic has become the first one of Diogo Jota’s Liverpool team-mates to react publicly to the tragic passing of the forward. The 28-year-old and his brother, Andre Silva, both died after being involved in a car accident in Spain.
The pair are said to have been travelling in the Zamora region of Sanabria when the incident occurred. It is understood the vehicle suffered a tyre blowout when heading towards Benavente, with Zamora News reporting that emergency services were called to the scene shortly before 1am on Thursday morning.
According to the Zamora provincial council, firefighters attended the scene on the A52, known as the Palacios de Sanabria, after the vehicle caught fire.
After Jota’s passing was confirmed in an official statement by Liverpool Football Club, Bajcetic took to Instagram to pay tribute to the Portuguese.
Posting a greyed out picture of the pair in pre-season training on his Instagram story, the Spaniard wrote: “You will be remembered my friend”.
Breaking into the Liverpool first team during the 2022/23 season under Jurgen Klopp, Bajcetic was included in 20 matchday squads alongside the Portuguese.
Liverpool released a statement on Thursday morning as they requested the privacy of Jota and Silva’s loved ones be respected at this difficult time.
It read: "Liverpool Football Club are devastated by the tragic passing of Diogo Jota. The club have been informed the 28-year-old has passed away following a road traffic accident in Spain along with his brother, Andre.
"Liverpool FC will be making no further comment at this time and request the privacy of Diogo and Andre’s family, friends, teammates and club staff is respected as they try to come to terms with an unimaginable loss.
"We will continue to provide them with our full support."
The Portuguese Football Federation also released a statement paying tribute to both Jota and Silva, as they revealed they had requested for UEFA to hold a minute of silence before their National Team’s match against Spain in the Women’s European Championship on Thursday night in honour of the pair.
It read: "The Portuguese Football Federation and all of Portuguese football are completely devastated by the deaths of Diogo Jota and his brother André Silva, this morning, in Spain.
"Much more than an outstanding player, with nearly 50 caps for the National A Team, Diogo Jota was an extraordinary person, respected by all colleagues and opponents, someone with a contagious joy and a reference in his own community.
"The Portuguese Football Federation expresses its deepest condolences to the family and friends of Diogo and André Silva, as well as to Liverpool FC and FC Penafiel, the clubs where the players respectively played.
"The Portuguese Football Federation has already requested UEFA to hold a minute of silence, this Thursday, before our National Team’s match against Spain in the Women’s European Championship.
"We have lost two champions. The passing of Diogo and André Silva represents irreparable losses for Portuguese Football, and we will do everything to honour their legacy daily."