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PSV Eindhoven’s players and staff paid respect to Diogo Jota ahead of Wednesday’s Champions League encounter against Liverpool.
The Dutch club traveled to Merseyside the day before the game, with captain Jerdy Schouten and head coach Peter Bosz conducting their usual pre-match press conference duties from Anfield.
The squad then trained on the pitch, just over 24 hours before kick-off in the high-stakes Champions League encounter, before all the players headed outside the ground to lay momentos at the Jota memorial facing the Main Stand. PSV laid flowers and a club scarf at the site, which has remained months after the tragic events of last summer.
Schouten and Bosz led the procession, along with technical director Marcel Brands, who has links to the area from his time at Everton.
It has become an unofficial tradition for away sides in the Champions League to pay their respects at Jota's memorial, as was the case with Atletico and Real Madrid earlier this year.
The Liverpool forward passed away in July following a high-speed car crash in northern Spain that also claimed the life of his brother, Andre Silva.
The emotional toil felt by those around the sport is still evident. Andy Robertson appeared to fight back tears last week as he referenced Jota after Scotland secured its place in the 2026 World Cup.
“I think I’ve hid it well, but today I’ve been in bits,” Robertson told BBC Sport. “I know with my age, this could be my last chance of a World Cup. I couldn’t get my mate Diogo Jota out of my head.
“We spoke so much together about the World Cup. When he missed out on Qatar because of injury, I missed out because Scotland never went, and we discussed what it would be like going to this World Cup.
“I know he’ll be somewhere smiling over me tonight, and I just couldn’t get him out of my head the whole day, I was in a bit of trouble in my room earlier.”
This week, it was also revealed that Cristiano Ronaldo gifted Jota’s family a commemorative watch in honor of Portugal's Nations League victory in June.
The former Real Madrid star opted not to attend Jota’s funeral over the summer due to fears his appearance could be a distraction.
Meanwhile, Liverpool hosts PSV in the Champions League on Wednesday, and will look to build upon its impressive form in the competition this season, with nine points amassed after four games.
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