Chelsea and Liverpool praised for their 'humanity'

Chelsea - Photo 1.

Pedro Neto (left) is very close to Jota - Photo: REUTERS

A day after the tragic accident that claimed the lives of Diogo Jota and his younger brother, the football world collectively sent condolences to the family of the Portuguese star. Among the most notable were the gestures of support from Chelsea and Liverpool.

Chelsea proactively offered star player Pedro Neto the option of withdrawing from the 2026 FIFA Club World Cup, as a gesture of empathy for the pain the midfielder was going through.

Neto and Jota are two very close teammates in the Portuguese national team. They spent time together at Wolverhampton Wanderers and often travel together for off-field activities.

Media reports indicate that Neto was completely devastated by Jota's tragic accident. He requested to miss Chelsea's training session in preparation for the FIFA Club World Cup quarter-finals.

Coach Enzo Maresca commented on the situation: “Pedro is very upset, perhaps even more so than we think. The important thing is to let him make his own decision. If he doesn't want to play, we fully support him.”

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Not only did manager Maresca proactively suggest that Pedro Neto could withdraw completely from the FIFA Club World Cup to return home for Jota's funeral, but the entire Chelsea board also offered him the opportunity.

This is a significant sacrifice for Chelsea, as they have a great opportunity to win the FIFA Club World Cup – which could bring in prize money of up to $125 million. Especially since Neto is Chelsea's star player right now, with 3 goals scored in 4 matches in the tournament.

Meanwhile, Liverpool, Jota's club, has decided to postpone all summer activities, including group training sessions and fitness tests, for the next week.

These activities are part of the preparations for the team's summer tour in Asia, which begins in the latter half of July. It's possible that this tour will be affected to some extent.

Coach Arne Slot stated: “We need time to be together, to recover and to remember Diogo – who was not just a player but also a member of this family.”

Anfield Stadium and the club's facilities are currently closed temporarily, with flags flown at half-mast and memorial corners set up where fans can place flowers, handkerchiefs, and jerseys in memory of Jota.

Earlier, Mohamed Salah was the first star of the team to decide to cut short his summer vacation after receiving sad news about his teammate. The Egyptian superstar had planned to end his summer holiday in Greece next week, but he immediately returned to England today.

There are reports that Liverpool will offer several humane benefits to support Jota's family, including paying his salary until the end of his contract (in 2027), providing emotional support for Jota's wife and children, and enrolling his children in the club's academy.