It was inconceivable 49 days previous what would await on Liverpool’s return to the pitch, with the whiplash of emotions laid bare as tributes were paid to Diogo Jota at Deepdale.
There was no script or expectation for what Liverpool’s first pre-season game would look like, only recognition of the courage and strength of the players for giving it the go-ahead.
They did not have to, they would not need an explanation as to why, but Arne Slot encouraged them to “handle this situation like Jota was,” which was to “always be himself.”
They did that and more – it was humbling and cathartic to witness.
Sharing the burden of grief
I, like tens of thousands of others, was in the stands as confetti rained down on Liverpool as Virgil van Dijk triumphantly lifted the Premier League trophy over his head.
There were tears of joy everywhere you looked in the stands, a few of mine included, as the wait of a lifetime finally came to an end – it was an honour to witness and a moment to treasure.
The players were lauded as heroes, rightly celebrated as the champions that they are, we were all on top of the world as the trophy was lifted time and time again.
Liverpool were back on their perch, the ‘Summer of 20’ had taken flight and the club were to make significant early statements in the transfer window – how could you not be on cloud nine?
A distant trip to Preston would be the continuation of the party, a red carpet welcome for the champions and the first sight of new signings that would have you bouncing to the ground as it did me at Anfield on the final day.
But only 49 days after the trophy was paraded around Anfield, a stark juxtaposition of emotions awaited at Deepdale after the unimaginable loss of Diogo Jota.
That statement alone is still hard to fathom and you cannot help but think of the devastating loss felt foremost by Jota’s wife, children, parents and that of his teammates.
It was hard to know exactly what to expect at Deepdale beyond the announced tributes, but reflecting more than 24 hours on, I’m left in awe of the unity and respect that we saw.
The moment could have been pushed further down the road, but it had to happen at some point and we were in safe hands as we and the club treaded unchartered waters.
Preston were a class above, laying a wreath, providing free programmes that honoured Jota and Andre, a performance of You’ll Never Walk Alone, an impeccable minute’s silence and joining in on the 20th-minute tribute.
You could not have asked for a more respectable host.
I had to on more than one occasion hold back the tears as I watched our fans sing Jota’s song on repeat, no more so than after the final whistle as players and supporters stood in unison.
Time was suspended at that very moment. They needed us and we needed them.
They had done their job and they then ceased to be players, they were mere mortals still in the depths of grieving their friend and they, foremost, needed that connection.
The last time they faced a stand of Liverpool fans, merely 49 days previous, they had the Premier League trophy in their arms on one of the happiest days of their lives.
That juxtaposition of emotion was not lost on me as I watched the tragically poignant moment unfold, nor was the pride in the players and everyone at the club as they continue to grapple with the unimaginable.
Arne Slot said it best on the morning of the game in a classy and touching interview that makes you proud that he is leading our football club.
He said of his team: “They’ve (the fans) seen them winning the league, that was a great achievement, but what they did in the last week with the togetherness they had, how they conducted themselves when we were in Portugal together, the fans couldn’t have asked for more from our players when it comes to how great human beings they are.”
The football and the result was inconsequential, it always going to be. The occasion weighed heavily, but as I left the ground on Sunday I was struck by one constant thought.
Jota’s legacy is not in the appearances, goals or trophies he won, but in the family and friendships he created and fostered, and the imprint he left in the lives of others – Sunday proved that will stand the test of time.
As the players walked off to the sound of You’ll Never Walk Alone, you felt them being enveloped in a comforting embrace telling them that ‘we’ve got you’.
Forty-nine days previous I sung it in a starkly different tone, but the message rings true as it always does – and that is of solidarity and perseverance. It was a timely reminder we all needed.
