A season from hell: how Arne Slot’s Liverpool fell apart after death of Jota

The death of Diogo Jota The Liverpool forward was returning from his native Portugal to England via car then ferry, on medical advice after having a minor lung operation, and was killed in an accident along with his brother, André Silva, en route to the Spanish port of Santander, on 3 July 2025. Jota’s death, 11 days after teammates attended his wedding to the mother of their three children, deeply affected everyone at the club. The celebrations at the end of May of the club’s title win on the streets of Liverpool had previously been cut short by a man driving a car into the crowds, injuring 134 people, some seriously. What should have been a summer of celebration was overshadowed by tragedies, and Arne Slot had to prepare for the new season against a highly emotional background. Liverpool’s captain Virgil van Dijk and Andy Robertson arrive on the day of the funeral for Diogo Jota and his brother André Silva, who died in a car crash. Photograph: Pedro Nunes/Reuters United victory confirms an on-pitch crisis Despite this, after losing the Community Shield to Crystal Palace on penalties Liverpool started the season proper with seven wins, including against Arsenal, several times clinching victory in added time. In the middle of the run, the Reds prised Alexander Isak away from Newcastle for a British record £125m, to cap a remarkable summer of spending, with Florian Wirtz (£116m), Hugo Ekitiké (£69m), Milos Kerkez (£40m) and Jeremie Frimpong (£29.5m) the other major signings. …