Liverpool to pay tribute to Diogo Jota and Andre Silva at Preston friendly

Liverpool have announced plans to pay tribute to Diogo Jota and his brother Andre Silva during Sunday’s pre-season friendly at Preston while also retiring the squad number 20 in his honour.

The match at Deepdale will be the Reds’ first since Liverpool forward Jota and his brother were killed in a car crash in Spain on July 3.

There will be a rendition of ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’ prior to the 3pm kick-off and Preston will lay a wreath alongside the away supporters, Liverpool said.

A minute’s silence will then be observed, with digital tributes displayed on the stadium big screen and on pitchside LED boards.

Players from both teams will wear black armbands, Liverpool said.

The pre-match programme will also feature written tributes to Jota and Silva.

On Friday night the club announced Jota’s squad number of 20 would be retired across all levels in honour of the Portuguese. The decision was made after consultation with his wife Rute Cardoso and his family, Liverpool said.

Many of Liverpool’s players attended the brothers’ funerals in Gondomar, Portugal, last Saturday.

Liverpool are also scheduled to face AC Milan in Hong Kong and Yokohama F. Marinos in Japan at the end of this month.

As Premier League champions, they will take on FA Cup winners Crystal Palace in the Community Shield on August 10.

Father of three Jota, who married his long-term partner Rute 11 days before the accident, died alongside his brother after a Lamborghini they were travelling in burst into flames following a suspected tyre blowout in the early hours of Thursday, July 3.

Reds manager Arne Slot attended last Saturday’s funeral, along with club captain Virgil van Dijk and team-mates including Andy Robertson, Conor Bradley, Ryan Gravenberch, Cody Gakpo, Curtis Jones, Darwin Nunez and Joe Gomez.