By Ghana News Michael Kofi Kenetey
Several Liverpool FC players are expected to attend the funeral for Diogo Jota and his brother Andre Silva in Portugal on Saturday.
The 28-year-old Portugal international and his brother died in a crash in Zamora, northwestern Spain, at around 12.30am local time on Thursday when the Lamborghini the pair were travelling in veered off the road.
The Spanish authorities said their car left the road due to a tyre blowout while overtaking another vehicle, while a Spanish government source told the PA news agency that the crash was being investigated as a 鈥減ossible speeding incident鈥.
The crash took place just 11 days after Mr Jota鈥榮 wedding to his long-term partner Rute Cordoso, with whom he had three children.
Their bodies were repatriated to Portugal after being identified by the family, Spanish government officials said.
The brothers鈥 funeral is scheduled for 10am, according to officials in their hometown of Gondomar. It is set to be held at the Igreja Matriz de Gondomar church.
Liverpool FC players, most of whom are still on summer holiday, are expected to attend, after it is believed the club chartered a flight to Portugal, according to local media. Liverpool has not confirmed any arrangements.
Emotional attendees at wake
The club鈥檚 executives and backroom staff, including CEO Billy Hogan, technical director Julian Ward and sporting director Richard Hughes, also attended a wake for Mr Jota and Mr Silva, held in a chapel next to the Gondomar church on Friday.
The wake was initially private and attended by the brothers鈥 families, including Mr Jota鈥檚 wife, but was later opened up to the public, with hundreds queuing outside the chapel to pay their respects.
Among the attendees was former Chelsea and Spurs boss Andre Villa-Boas, who is now the president of Portuguese club Porto, where Mr Silva played at youth level.
鈥淭here鈥檚 nothing that can overcome the pain of the family,鈥 Villa-Boas told Sky News sports correspondent Rob Harris outside the wake. 鈥淭o a father, to a mother, it鈥檚 unbearable.鈥
Mr Villa-Boas said Mr Jota and Mr Silva were perfect examples of 鈥渨hat a professional [footballer] should be鈥.
Addressing the outpouring of tributes from the brothers鈥 local community, he added: 鈥淭his is something those two boys deserve.鈥
Nottingham Forest鈥檚 Jota Silva, born in Gondomar, and Jota鈥檚 former Wolves and Portugal team-mate Joao Moutinho were also among the mourners, with the president of the Portuguese Football Federation Pedro Proenca and Porto president Andre Villas-Boas also visiting.
The country鈥檚 president Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa and prime minister Luis Montenegro also attended the wake.
Read more:Crowds in Portugal gather for the saddest of homecomingsJota鈥檚 joyous final weeks make his death even more devastating
Tearful tributes at Liverpool stadium
At Anfield, fans left flowers, shirts, scarves and cards at a temporary shrine for Mr Jota.
A tearful former Liverpool captain and team-mate, Jordan Henderson, laid down flowers on Friday and signed a book of condolence.
In a tribute on Instagram, Mr Henderson said Mr Jota was 鈥渁 pleasure to be around鈥 and share a pitch as well as friendship with, adding: 鈥淚 know how much Rute and your family meant to you and I know you will always be looking down on them. Thank you for everything you brought into this world, we will all miss you.鈥
Liverpool FC said they are 鈥渄evastated鈥 by Mr Jota鈥檚 鈥渢ragic passing鈥, while the Portuguese national team said the country is 鈥渃ompletely devastated鈥.
Liverpool manager Arne Slot said 鈥淚 wish I had the words but I know I do not鈥 and insisted Mr Jota 鈥渨ill never be forgotten鈥, while former manager Jurgen Klopp said he was 鈥渉eartbroken鈥 by the news, adding 鈥渢here must be a bigger purpose, but I can鈥檛 see it鈥.
Mohamed Salah, Liverpool鈥檚 star forward who has joined fellow teammates in paying tribute to Mr Jota, said he was dreading returning to the club in the wake of his death.
Some players were set to start preliminaries of pre-season testing on Friday, but the first part of a phased return was postponed following the tragedy.
鈥淚 am truly lost for words. Until yesterday, I never thought there would be something that would frighten me of going back to Liverpool after the break,鈥 Salah wrote on social media.
鈥淭eam-mates come and go but not like this. It鈥檚 going to be extremely difficult to accept that Diogo won鈥檛 be there when we go back.鈥