Liverpool begin their Premier League title defence tonight at Anfield against Bournemouth, in what is expected to be a deeply emotional evening. The match marks the Reds’ first league appearance since the tragic passing of forward Diogo Jota and his brother, Andre Silva, in a car accident in July.
Ahead of kick-off, a tribute will be held in honour of the brothers. Jota’s wife, children, and extended family are expected to attend the ceremony.
In his matchday programme notes, manager Arne Slot acknowledged the significance of the moment, according to a club statement released Friday.
This will be a very emotional occasion, being our first league game since the loss of Diogo and Andre, Slot wrote. The tributes from across the football world—and especially from within the LFC community—have been incredibly moving.
Diogo’s family will be with us tonight, and it’s important that they feel the love and support of this club. They will always be part of the Liverpool family.
Focus Turns to Football, But Emotions Remain
Slot also spoke about the return to competitive football, with Andoni Iraola’s Bournemouth visiting for the 8 p.m. BST kickoff.
There’s nothing quite like Anfield under the lights, and we’re all looking forward to getting our campaign underway, Slot said.
He warned against underestimating Bournemouth, praising their quality and last season’s ninth-place finish.
They’ve got a very good manager and plenty of talented players. We’ll need to be at our best.
Room for Improvement, Praise for New Signings
Reflecting on pre-season, Slot noted Liverpool’s progress in attack but admitted there’s work to be done defensively.
We’re better at creating chances than we were for most of last season. But we need to be tighter at the back—we often won by just one goal last year because we were solid defensively. That’s something we must continue.
The manager also praised the early impact of summer signings Hugo Ekitike, Jeremie Frimpong, Florian Wirtz, and Milos Kerkez.
Slot ended by calling on the Anfield faithful to make their voices heard:
Your support is never taken for granted. It will be vital again this season as we defend our title.
Forever 20 – Club Unveils Diogo Jota Tribute Shirt
In memory of Diogo Jota, Liverpool have launched a commemorative T-shirt, with all profits going to the LFC Foundation to fund a grassroots football programme in his name.
The shirt features an image of Jota’s iconic heart-hand celebration, lyrics from his fan song, and the phrase “Forever 20.”
In consultation with Jota’s family, the club has retired the No. 20 shirt across all levels—including the women’s team and the Academy.
Supporters can also request ‘Diogo J. 20’ printed on the back of their shirts, with proceeds going to the same grassroots initiative.