Liverpool back to training after Diogo Jota’s death

Liverpool players started the preseason training on Tuesday, five days after the death of the club's Portuguese forward Diogo Jota.

Jota and his brother, Andre Silva, tragically passed away in a fiery car crash near Zamora, in northwestern Spain, last Thursday. Both were believed to be travelling to the UK for Liverpool's preseason.

The fatal crash reportedly occurred in the early hours of the day as his vehicle turned off the road and burst into flames.

Liverpool players were planning to start the pre-season training last Friday, but it was postponed due to Jota's passing. Arne Slot and several Liverpool players, both current and former, alongside friends and family members of the deceased Jota, attended his brother's funeral in Gondomar, Portugal, on Saturday.

Liverpool players reached the AXA Training Centre on Tuesday and arrived at several floral tributes.

The Premier League champions will play their first friendly match against Preston North End on July 13 to kick off the season, though it is uncertain whether the game will take place.

Over the past few days, tributes have been pouring in from former teammates, clubs, national leaders and fans.

Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk said he was "Absolutely devastated and in total disbelief.”

Forward Mohamed Salah on Friday stated that 'it is going to be extremely difficult to accept Jota’s absence’.

“Until yesterday, I never thought there would be something that would frighten me of going back to Liverpool after the break. Teammates come and go but not like this,” Salah said.

"It's going to be extremely difficult to accept that Diogo won't be there when we go back."