Diogo Jota's family make request to well-wishers at Liverpool star's funeral as club and national team-mates attend
The family of Diogo Jota have released a short statement via a media briefing as the Liverpool forward's funeral takes place on Saturday.
Jota and his brother Andre Silva were killed in a car crash in the early hours of Thursday morning.
According to initial police findings, the pair's car suffered a tyre blowout while overtaking in the Spanish city of Zamora and left the road, before then catching fire.
The Spanish Guardia Civil confirmed in a statement that the two victims were identified as Jota and his brother, who was also a professional footballer in the Portuguese second division.
Advert
On Saturday morning, the funeral of both men has been taking place in their home town of Gondomar in Portugal.
A Liverpool delegation, led by manager Arne Slot, captain Virgil van Dijk and vice-captain Andy Robertson, has attended the funeral.
A number of other team-mates of Jota have also attended, including ex-Liverpool stars Fabinho, Thiago and Jordan Henderson, and his national team-mates and coaching staff including Bruno Fernandes, Ruben Neves, Bernardo Silva and Portugal boss Roberto Martinez.
Andre Villas-Boas, representing Jota's former club FC Porto in his role as their president, is also in Gondomar, along with the forward's agent Jorge Mendes and Portugal Prime Minister Luis Montenegro.
Ahead of the service getting underway, Jota's family released a short statement that was relayed to media in attendance in the form of a briefing.
BBC News report that the family, through the relayed briefing, informed those visiting Gondomar that they want the ceremony to be private.
Meanwhile, a wake that took place on Friday - which saw 'hundreds' of people visiting to pay their respects - was described as 'too intense'.
It is added that, as a result, the service has been played outside on loudspeakers and a designated area has been created outside the church for people to gather.
A private gathering among family and friends of Jota and Silva was held in Gondomar on Friday, which then turned into a public gathering as people queued up to pay their respects, BBC also report.
Ryan Smart