Liverpool will take to the pitch on Sunday for the first time since Diogo Jota and his brother, Andre Silva, tragically lost their lives in a car crash in Spain
11:55, 11 Jul 2025Updated 11:58, 11 Jul 2025
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 24: Liverpool's Diogo Jota celebrates his team's third goal during the Premier League match between Liverpool FC and West Ham United at Anfield on September 24, 2023 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Dave Howarth - CameraSport via Getty Images)
The deaths of Diogo Jota and Andre Silva left the football world devastated(Image: Dave Howarth - CameraSport, CameraSport via Getty Images)
Liverpool and Preston North End have unveiled a series of touching tributes planned to honour Diogo Jota and his brother, Andre Silva, ahead of Sunday's friendly at Deepdale.
This will be the first time the Reds step onto the pitch since the tragic loss of the brothers on July 3. Fans attending the match are requested to take their seats by 2.45pm before the 3pm kick-off as a sign of respect for the siblings, with the tributes set to commence around 2.50pm.
Claudia Rose Maguire - spouse of ex-Preston player Sean - will open the tributes with a heartfelt rendition of Can't Help Falling In Love, followed by Liverpool's stirring anthem, You'll Never Walk Alone.
As the latter echoes around the stadium, North End skipper Ben Whiteman will place a wreath in front of the visiting fans in the Bill Shankly Kop, leading into a minute's silence just prior to kick-off.
During this poignant silence, digital tributes will light up the big screen and LEDs across Deepdale, reports the Liverpool Echo.
Liverpool manager Arne Slot and his wife paid tribute to Diogo Jota at Anfield
Liverpool manager Arne Slot and his wife paid tribute to Diogo Jota at Anfield(Image: Nikki Dyer - LFC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
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In addition, both teams will don black armbands in memory of Liverpool forward Jota and Silva, who played for Penafiel.
Preston have also crafted a special edition of the matchday programme featuring written tributes to the brothers.
The 16-page matchday programme, dedicated to Jota and Silva, will be handed out free to all ticket holders on the day, with numerous staff members distributing the programmes around the ground.
The match will be aired on ITV 1 in the UK, LFCTV and globally streamed on All Red Video, with coverage commencing at 2.15pm.
A tribute to Andre Silva and Diogo Jota was shown before the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 quarter final match between Real Madrid CF and Borussia Dortmund at MetLife Stadium
A tribute to Andre Silva and Diogo Jota was shown before the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 quarter final match between Real Madrid CF and Borussia Dortmund at MetLife Stadium(Image: 2025 Jean Catuffe)
A pre-match programme will be live-streamed from the stadium across LFC's social media platforms and YouTube until kick-off, when broadcasting rights restrictions come into play.
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Jota and Silva tragically lost their lives in a car accident after their vehicle swerved off the road due to a tyre blowout. They were journeying across Spain to board a ferry back to the UK ahead of Liverpool's pre-season commencement.
The duo were laid to rest in their hometown of Gondomar on the previous weekend (July 5), with most of the Reds' first-team squad, Arne Slot and several Reds officials attending their funeral.
In the meantime, a memorial site was established at Anfield following the brothers' untimely passing, where thousands of fans have left floral tributes, shirts, scarves, banners, photos and messages in honour of Jota and Silva.