After facing criticism for missing teammate Diogo Jota’s funeral, Liverpool attacker Luis Diaz has finally spoken out. In Sao Cosme, where the striker and his wife Rute Cardoso had married less than two weeks before, Jota was buried alongside his brother after he tragically died in a vehicle accident in Spain.
Virgil van Dijk and Arne Slot, the manager of Anfield, were among the players that traveled to the area just outside of Porto to attend the funeral. Additionally, fans were perplexed by Diaz’s absence, even though other well-known players, like Cristiano Ronaldo, chose not to attend. For the first time since the criticism, the Colombian has now addressed Jota’s passing.
Diaz Discloses ‘Very Big Pain’ Following Jota’s Passing
The 28-year-old spoke to the press about his emotions
In an interview with WinSportsTV, Diaz elaborated on his feelings following the news of his teammate’s passing, saying:
“Getting news like this is really tough. Nobody is ready for this. He was a crucial buddy when I first got to Liverpool as his family accepted me and we became close. It was crucial that we maintained a strong rivalry.
Although Diaz did not specifically mention it, it is thought that he missed the funeral because it was held soon after he returned to his native country.
Diaz also recalled how Jota helped him through one of the most trying times of his career. The father of the former Porto winger was abducted in October 2023 and held captive for 12 days before being reunited. Jota publicly supported his attacking partner during this experience by raising a jersey with Diaz’s name on the back to celebrate a goal against Nottingham Forest.
Speaking on that instance and the sorrow he felt at Jota’s premature passing, the striker said: “He made a very nice gesture towards me, which I will never forget.”
“I hope he finds peace. In my heart, I have a wonderful friend who his team will never forget. Since his wife and kids are actually going through a lot of hardship as a result of this, I would like to send them a lot of strength.
“It aches a great deal. When I got up and saw the news, it was amazing. To be honest, I started crying. It was an excruciatingly painful experience.
xz
