During the Liverpool pre-season tour, Reds forward Gakepo gave an exclusive interview to The Echo and The Athletic ■In the early morning of tonight, Liverpool will face Athletic Bilbao at home at Anfield for a friendly match of "Double Da...
During the Liverpool pre-season tour, Reds forward Gakepo gave an exclusive interview to The Echo and The Athletic
■In the early morning of tonight, Liverpool will face Athletic Bilbao at home at Anfield for a friendly match of "Double Day". This will be the first time the team has returned to Anfield since Jota's death, and there is no doubt that this day is destined to be a moment of emotional catharsis again, and all those associated with the club are still mourning.
Gakpo said: "It's really difficult, it's obvious. Many of us were on vacation when the incident happened, and we were united as a team and club as soon as possible. We were doing it as much as possible for Jota's family to accompany and help as much as possible. Although it may not be seen in the media, we are still working hard to support it behind the scenes."
"We hope Jota's family can feel our love for them, for Jota and his brother. From clubs, teams to fans, to the entire city, and even all football fans, we Liverpool is really a big family."
■After the Jota accident, the Liverpool club set up a memorial book in Anfield at the first time, and opened the green space around the stadium for fans to offer flowers and place tribute items related to the game. Last month, the club announced his retirement of his No. 20 jersey.
In addition, the club has commissioned the statue, and players will also wear a specially designed "Forever 20 (Forever 20)" badge on the new Adidas jerseys to express their respect.
Gakpo said: "That commemorative badge is at least a little bit we can do. He is already amazing as a player, but as a person, he is even more admirable. He is the kind of person that everyone will like, and that's why when the bad news comes, everyone reacts so strongly."
"So this badge is more to commemorate who he is to us. Not as players, the highlights of players can be seen on YouTube, but what we want to remember more is his character. He will be deeply missed by us this season, and for the rest of our lives, this team, this club, and his family will always miss him."
"That game against Preston is very touching. As for that song, I think it's not enough for us to sing for 10 days! It's really beautiful, and it once again reflects the greatness of our fan base, and we're really grateful."
