Darwin Nunez pulled off Diogo Jota‘s trademark celebrations after scoring in Liverpool’s first game since his death – with a heartbreaking tribute afterwards.
Nunez netted the second goal in Liverpool’s 3-1 victory over Preston on Sunday – a game dominated by songs and banners in tribute to Jota.
After rounding the goalkeeper and slotting home, the Uruguayan first replicated his former teammate’s Baby Shark celebration before sitting down and producing his iconic gamer pose.
Writing on X after the game, Nunez wrote: “I know today you celebrated with me like that time.”
Along with photos of his two celebrations at Deepdale, Nunez shared Jota’s from the 4-3 victory over Tottenham in 2023.
Back then, Jota was joined by Nunez in marking his last-minute winner at Anfield, as the No. 20 paid homage to his love of gaming.
It is clear that losing a teammate has affected Liverpool’s No. 9 deeply, having been visibly emotional at both his funeral and when laying flowers at the memorial site at Anfield this week.
The hope is that the trip to Deepdale can begin the process of working towards normality for those who called Jota a friend.
That will clearly not be a linear journey, with grief impacting everyone in different ways, but speaking before the game, Arne Slot explained his approach to working the squad through their pain and back into football.
“Nothing seems to be important if we think of what has happened,” the head coach told the club’s official website.
“But we are a football club and we need to train and we need to play again, if we want it or not.
“What I’ve said to the players, I can say it here as well. It’s very difficult to find the right words because we constantly debate what is appropriate.
“What is appropriate in our actions? What is appropriate [for] what we have to say? Can we train again? Can we laugh again? Can we be angry if there’s a wrong decision?
“And I’ve said to them, maybe the best thing for us to do is handle this situation like Jota was.
“And what I meant with that is that Jota was always himself, it didn’t matter if he was talking to me, to his teammates, to the staff, he was always himself.
“So let us try to be ourselves as well.”
