Advertisement
Advertisement
Liverpool are to create a permanent tribute to remember former player Diogo Jota and his brother Andre Silva who died in a car crash earlier this month, the Premier League champions announced on Saturday.
Father of three Jota died alongside his brother on July 3, 11 days after marrying his long-term partner Rute Cardoso, after their car came off the road and burst into flames in northern Spain.
A large number of tributes in the shape of flowers, scarves, cards, and jerseys have been left at Anfield, which Liverpool said would form the basis for the permanent monument.
“The thousands of physical tributes outside Anfield have been gradually removed over the course of the last week and carefully separated and safely stored,” the club said in a statement.
“Floral tributes will then be composted and used in flower beds across all club sites, including Anfield, the AXA Training Centre, and AXA Melwood Training Centre.
“The remaining artefacts will be recycled by a specialist company and used to help create a permanent memorial sculpture that will become a future focal point of remembrance at Anfield.”
The club also said that players will have a “Forever 20” emblem – referencing Jota’s now-retired shirt number printed on their shirts and stadium jackets for the season.
“When LFC’s new kits are launched on August 1, players will display their own tribute with a specially made ‘Forever 20’ emblem printed into their shirts and stadium jackets, which will remain in place for the season,” the statement added.
Liverpool paid tribute to Diogo Jota and Andre Silva during their friendly at Preston a fortnight ago and will hold their main commemoration, which will feature a fan mosaic and a minute of silence, before they kick off the new season at home to Bournemouth on August 15.
READ: Pakistan Sports Board bans participation of all sports federations in India events
