Andy Robertson Opens Up on How Diogo Jota’s Death Impacted Liverpool’s Season Before Anfield Farewell

Andy Robertson, who will bring an end to his nine-year spell at Liverpool this weekend, has spoken candidly about the lasting emotional impact Diogo Jota’s passing had on the squad throughout the season.

In an interview with Ian Wright on The Overlap, the 32-year-old left-back described the circumstances under which the players first reunited following the tragedy — a detail that underlines the abrupt shift the squad faced after their Premier League title celebrations.

“I think what happened in the summer, nobody can prepare for what we had to go through,” Robertson said. “The first time seeing the lads after the trophy day was when we were on a plane on the way to our mate’s funeral. I don’t want this being used as an excuse, but for the lads, it’s been tough. We’re only human beings at the end of the day.”

Jota, one of Portugal’s most prominent modern footballers, died suddenly last July — just after Liverpool had secured the Premier League title. The news reverberated across the global football community and had a direct bearing on how the club approached its pre-season preparations.

Robertson confirmed that both the coaching staff and sports scientists modified their demands in response to the squad’s emotional state. “I think for the world of football it was tough enough, but for us, it’s one of our best mates… it was tough,” he said. “And obviously from that point of view we then had a disrupted pre-season… We couldn’t have the manager or the sports scientists push us too hard too early because of what we were going through, and they were going through the exact same.”

The acknowledgement that Liverpool’s pre-season was significantly disrupted provides important context for the club’s campaign this term. Preparation windows are widely regarded as foundational to a team’s rhythm and fitness levels across a long domestic and European schedule, meaning the emotional and logistical consequences of Jota’s death extended well beyond the personal sphere.

Robertson, widely considered one of the finest left-backs of his generation, joined Liverpool in 2017 and has since accumulated numerous honours with the club, including the Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup, and League Cup. His departure marks the end of a significant era for the Anfield club.

This weekend’s home fixture against Brentford will serve as Robertson’s final appearance at Anfield as a Liverpool player. The match represents not only the conclusion of his personal chapter at the club but also the latest occasion on which supporters will have the opportunity to acknowledge the emotional weight the squad has carried through what Robertson himself described as an unprecedented period.

Portugal’s football federation has separately indicated intentions to honour Jota’s legacy as the national team prepares for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with tributes continuing to emerge from across the sport in the months since his passing.