Diogo Jota's physio reveals what Liverpool forward was doing in final hours before tragic death
Diogo Jota's physiotherapist has revealed what the Liverpool striker was doing just hours before his tragic fatal crash.
On Thursday, devastating news broke confirming that Jota and his brother Andre Silva had died in a car crash in Zamora, Spain in the early hours of the morning.
It was later revealed that the pair were travelling back to Liverpool ahead of the club's pre season starting on Monday, when their car suffered a tyre blowout while overtaking.
Emergency services attended the scene, but there was nothing to be done and the two brothers were pronounced dead.
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Jota's death has shaken the footballing world, with tributes from the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, former manager Jurgen Klopp and close friend Andrew Robertson, pouring in.
And now, the 28-year-old's physiotherapist has spoken out to reveal details of their conversation just hours before the tragic accident.
Respiratory physiotherapist Miguel Goncalves had been recently working with the Liverpool star as he recovered from a pneumothorax - or collapsed lung.
Jota had played through the pain caused by the condition, waiting to get surgery after Portugal's Nation's League victory over Spain earlier this month.
As part of his recovery, Jota was working with Goncalves just five hours before the fatal crash.
Speaking to Portuguese outlet Record, Goncalves revealed: "I said goodbye to him and his brother, Andre, at around 8:30 p.m.
"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.
"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. They were only supposed to arrive in Santander today, 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."
The physiotherapist also praised the Liverpool star for his professionalism, revealing details of his recovery while hitting back at media claims that he and his brother had been partying before the crash.
"I’ve read some things on the internet that are regrettable, and I’ve even heard some in the media," Goncalves added.
"To be clear, Diogo and Andre weren’t partying at all, they weren’t in the so-called "good mood" life, they had nothing that deserved any repair. Nothing.
"He made an extraordinary recovery, he was undoubtedly an unparalleled professional. 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."
Topics: Diogo Jota, Football, Premier League, Liverpool
Ben McCrum