Featured Image Credit: Getty
Topics: Alisson, Diogo Jota, Liverpool
Ryan Smart
Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson has revealed the sad reason why he won't be able to attend the funeral of team-mate Diogo Jota on Saturday morning.
Jota and his brother Andre Silva were killed in a car crash in Zamora, Spain during the early hours of Thursday morning.
According to initial police findings, their car suffered a tyre blowout while overtaking and subsequently left the road, before then catching fire.
Witnesses who called the emergency 1-1-2 service claimed that the car became 'engulfed in flames'.
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The Spanish Guardia Civil confirmed in a statement that the two victims had been identified as Jota and Silva.
Liverpool led the tributes to Jota, with manager Arne Slot, captain Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah among those to post lengthy statements after details of the crash became public.
Liverpool have retired Jota's number 20 shirt, with a digital and physical book of condolence being made available for fans to sign either at Anfield or online.
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The Portugal international's funeral will take place in his home town of Gondomar on Saturday morning.
In Portugal, it is common for a funeral, including a wake, to happen as soon as 48 hours after a death.
It is unclear as to the guest arrangements of the funeral and how many Liverpool players or staff - if any - will be able to attend the service.
But Alisson, who played alongside Jota for his full five seasons at Liverpool and was close friends with the forward, has stated in his own personal tribute that he is unable to 'say goodbye' to his team-mate this morning.
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Accompanied by a black-and-white photo of the two families together, the goalkeeper wrote on Instagram: "Once again, an ocean separates me from "saying goodbye" to someone I love! But I know that I am well represented by my club mates.
"To you, my friend Rute Cardoso [Jota's wife], just know that you will never walk alone, we will be with you as soon as possible!"
Alisson also shared a verse from the Bible, Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 NKJV, and wrote: "In a moment like this, all we can do is bow down before the Sovereignty of God, and receive grace and help in this time!
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"I'll remember Diogo as a great friend, father and husband!"