Physio Miguel Goncalves, who worked with Diogo Jota following a long-term lung injury, has detailed the late Liverpool striker’s dedication to recovery.
Goncalves is a respiratory physiotherapist who worked closely with Jota in the final days of his life as he worked towards making a return for Liverpool’s pre-season.
The 28-year-old, who tragically lost his life in a car crash along with brother Andre Silva on Thursday, suffered a punctured lung during the 2-1 win over Chelsea in October.
While he went on play 27 more times last season, Jota was clearly never fully fit and had worked with Goncalves ahead of the start of pre-season at the AXA Training Centre.
It was on his journey back to Merseyside – which involved him driving from Portugal to Spain before catching a ferry to Portsmouth as he was advised not to fly due to his recent lung surgery – that Jota and his brother were killed.
“I said goodbye to him and his brother, Andre, at around 8.30pm,” Goncalves told Portuguese newspaper Record.
“His brother was a great companion and decided to go with him, to accompany him on the trip, and that way they would also spend more time together.
“They were going to travel at night because it was cooler, but they weren’t going direct.
“He told me that the journey would take about eight hours, but that they would stop at a hotel in the Burgos area to rest. Diogo was very aware of his professionalism.
“They were only supposed to arrive in Santander [on Thursday], catch the boat and then go to England.
“The family would arrive later by plane, organise their lives over the weekend and then, on Monday, they had a medical appointment scheduled in Liverpool to assess the situation.”
While Jota never made it back to the UK, Goncalves attested to the “practically flawless” recovery the 28-year-old had made in order to enjoy a “great season” at Liverpool.
The decision had already been made for the striker to not join the squad for their pre-season tour of Asia – almost certainly due to concerns over flying – but the expectation was that he would be fully fit for the new campaign.
Jota “unparalleled professional”
“He made an extraordinary recovery, he was undoubtedly an unparalleled professional,” Goncalves continued.
“He strictly followed what I told him, as you could see in the way he was recovering.
“The base of his right lung had collapsed a little, but with the post-surgery physiotherapy he was practically flawless.
“When I left him yesterday he was no longer in pain and was going to return to Liverpool.
“He was excited, confident in his recovery and enthusiastic about the next season.
“He told me that he would not go on the pre-season tour that Liverpool is going to Japan to strengthen his recovery. He believed he was going to have a great season.”
Liverpool were expecting the first group of players back for early fitness tests on Friday – likely comprised of youth players whose season ended much earlier than the senior squad – but the start of pre-season has now been postponed.
Jota and his brother’s funeral will take place in Portugal on Saturday, following a wake on Friday morning.
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