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Opening the Curtain with Emotion
This Sunday, July 13, Liverpool takes to the field for the first time in the 2025–26 pre-season. The Reds will face Preston North End at Deepdale in what was originally scheduled as a routine warm-up match. But now, this game carries a weight that no one could have anticipated. It will be the first time the team plays since the devastating accident that claimed the lives of Diogo Jota and his younger brother, André Silva.
This fixture, which might have been just another step toward fitness and preparation, now holds a deeper meaning. It is more than football. It is a tribute. A shared moment of grief. A space for healing. And for everyone involved from players and staff to fans in the stands and watching at home it will feel different. It must feel different.
Tributes Before the Kick-Off
Before the first whistle is blown, Deepdale will fall into a powerful silence. A minute’s pause will be observed to honor Diogo Jota and André. Both teams will wear black armbands. The stadium, filled with fans who have followed the news with heavy hearts, will come together in one voice. Music will play. First “Can’t Help Falling In Love,” a song chosen to reflect loss and memory, and then the anthem that has come to define Liverpool in joy and sorrow: “You’ll Never Walk Alone.”
The tribute will be heartfelt and real. It’s not just about formality. It’s about letting everyone, from teammates to supporters to club staff, begin the hard process of moving forward together. Preston’s captain, Ben Whiteman, will lay a wreath on behalf of the home side alongside Liverpool fans, showing that this is not just Liverpool’s grief. It is a shared moment of solidarity between clubs and communities.
A special 16-page matchday programme will also be handed out to fans attending the match. It will include stories, tributes, and reflections on Diogo Jota’s career and the loss of his brother. This gesture gives everyone a way to remember together.
Broadcast and Atmosphere
The match will be broadcast live on ITV1, with coverage beginning at 2:15 pm BST. Liverpool fans around the world will also be able to tune in via LFCTV and All Red Video. This type of access is always appreciated by global fans, but on this occasion, it feels essential. Whether you’re in the stands at Deepdale or watching from Nairobi, Kuala Lumpur, or São Paulo, you’ll be part of something meaningful.
The atmosphere inside the stadium is expected to be heavy, but hopeful. Fans know the game itself will take a backseat to the emotional weight of the occasion. But they also know that showing up matters. For some, this match won’t feel like football at all. It will feel like a goodbye.
Players, Tactics, and Test Runs
As with any pre-season opener, there will still be a focus on building fitness and trying new combinations. This is Arne Slot’s first match in charge, and though he probably imagined it very differently, he’ll still use the game to begin shaping his squad for the season ahead.
We’re likely to see new signings make their first appearances. Giovani Mamardashvili may start in goal. Milos Kerkez could feature in defense. Conor Bradley, back from injury, might get minutes on the right. In midfield, Alexis Mac Allister and Ryan Gravenberch are expected to be involved, along with others rotating in throughout the game.
Up front, it’s possible that Mohamed Salah, Cody Gakpo, and even Dominik Szoboszlai or Florian Wirtz will take on attacking roles. Darwin Núñez may be rested, but there’s plenty of attacking talent available. Still, in a match like this, tactics won’t be the headline. The most important thing is how the players carry themselves, how they support one another, and how they honor Diogo Jota in their performance.
Preston’s Perspective
For Preston North End, this match was already a big deal. Hosting Liverpool, even in pre-season, is always a major test and a source of pride. But the emotional context has changed everything. Now, it’s about more than football.
Manager Paul Heckingbottom has emphasized that his players are fully aware of the situation. They are preparing with seriousness and care. There is still the opportunity to challenge themselves against Premier League talent, but they also recognize the need to handle the day with empathy.
For the Preston players, this will be a unique kind of test. Not just physically or tactically, but emotionally. Standing in silence before kickoff, playing in a match shaped by loss, and doing so with grace that’s something you can’t train for, but it matters deeply.
A Symbolic New Chapter
In the days leading up to this game, Liverpool made a historic decision. The club announced that it will retire the number 20 shirt worn by Diogo Jota. This is the first time in Liverpool’s long, storied history that a squad number has been retired.
The decision came after consultation with Diogo Jota’s wife, Rute, and their family. It is a sign of how much he meant to everyone at the club, and how deeply his loss has been felt. The number 20 will never be worn again at Liverpool. From now on, it belongs to Diogo Jota.
Sunday will be the first time that the squad steps onto the field without that number on the roster. It will feel strange. And it will feel right. Some numbers, like some people, leave a lasting impression. They don’t get replaced. They get remembered.
Fans, Feelings, Forward
Fans have responded to the tragedy in the way Liverpool fans always do with deep emotion, solidarity, and support. Outside Anfield, a spontaneous memorial has grown. Scarves, candles, flowers, and messages have appeared. People have gathered quietly, paying tribute, holding each other, and sharing tears.
Mohamed Salah spoke honestly about how difficult it was to return to training. Other players echoed that feeling. Many returned to Melwood earlier this week, their focus not yet on the season ahead, but on their teammate who is no longer with them.
And that’s why this game means so much. It gives everyone a first step back. A first moment to gather, to remember, and to begin. Not to move on, because you don’t really move on from something like this. But to move forward, together.
Conclusion
This Sunday marks the beginning of Liverpool’s new season, but it’s not the kind of beginning anyone imagined. It won’t be about results. It won’t be about rankings. It will be about love, memory, and unity.
As the ball rolls across the Deepdale pitch, there will be moments when the match feels like a blur, like it doesn’t matter. And maybe, in the usual footballing sense, it doesn’t. But in another way, this might be one of the most important games Liverpool has played in a long time.
It’s a reminder of what football can do. It can bring people together when words fail. It can offer comfort through routine. And it can carry the memory of someone like Diogo Jota through songs, chants, and the sound of applause.
This is more than pre-season. This is a tribute. This is a family gathering. This is Liverpool, showing the world that even in heartbreak, they walk on side by side.
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YNWA (You’ll Never Walk Alone)!
The Liverpool FC Times Team
LiverpoolFCTimes.com