Stefan Bajcetic is the first Liverpool player to publicly honor Diogo Jota.
Stefan Bajcetic has become the first Liverpool teammate to publicly react to the tragic death of Diogo Jota. The 28-year-old and his brother, Andre Silva, lost their lives in a car accident in Spain.
Reports indicate that they were traveling in the Zamora region of Sanabria when the incident occurred. The vehicle reportedly experienced a tyre blowout while heading towards Benavente, with emergency services arriving shortly before 1 a.m. on Thursday.
According to the Zamora provincial council, firefighters responded to the scene on the A52, known as the Palacios de Sanabria, after the vehicle caught fire.
Following the confirmation of Jota’s passing in an official statement from Liverpool Football Club, Bajcetic shared a tribute on Instagram. He posted a muted image of them during pre-season training, captioning it: “You will be remembered my friend.”
Bajcetic made his way into Liverpool’s first team during the 2022/23 season under Jurgen Klopp, appearing in 20 matchday squads alongside Jota.
On Thursday morning, Liverpool released a statement expressing their sorrow over Jota’s tragic passing and requested privacy for the families of Jota and Silva during this difficult time. The statement read: “Liverpool Football Club is devastated by the tragic passing of Diogo Jota. The club has been informed that the 28-year-old died following a road traffic accident in Spain with his brother, Andre.”
The statement continued: “Liverpool FC will not be making further comments at this time and requests that the privacy of Diogo and Andre’s family, friends, teammates, and club staff is respected as they cope with this unimaginable loss. We will continue to support them fully.”
The Portuguese Football Federation also issued a statement honoring both Jota and Silva, announcing that they had requested UEFA to hold a minute of silence before the National Team’s match against Spain in the Women’s European Championship that night.
The statement expressed: “The Portuguese Football Federation and all of Portuguese football are heartbroken by the deaths of Diogo Jota and his brother André Silva this morning in Spain. Beyond being an exceptional player with nearly 50 caps for the National A Team, Diogo Jota was an extraordinary individual, respected by colleagues and opponents alike, known for his contagious joy and as a role model in his community.”
They extended their deepest condolences to the families and friends of Diogo and André Silva, as well as to Liverpool FC and FC Penafiel, the clubs they represented. The Federation emphasized the significant loss this represents for Portuguese football, vowing to honor their legacy daily.
