Enzo Maresca praises Liverpool’s mental strength after Diogo Jota’s passing

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Enzo Maresca praised the fortitude of Liverpool’s players in continuing to perform while they grieve Diogo Jota. The forward’s death in July at the age of 28 following a car accident came weeks after he had helped the team to the Premier League title.

Arne Slot‘s side lead the way this season after six matches and the Chelsea head coach – who suffered a similar tragedy in 2007 when Sevilla team-mate Antonio Puerta died suddenly – believes the Reds’ performances have been the more remarkable for what they are going through. “I don’t think it’s better to play them now just because they’ve dropped points,” said Maresca, whose side face the champions at Stamford Bridge on Saturday.

They will face a Chelsea side still without Cole Palmer, who Maresca hoped will be back after the international break, though the exciting 18-year-old winger Estevao Willian could step in. “I think Cole’s path has been similar to Estevao’s in terms of starting as a winger and then slowly you can move inside.