Mo Salah left in tears as Liverpool fans pay tribute to Diogo Jota after their win against Bournemouth

Mohamed Salah was moved to tears as Liverpool supporters paid tribute to the late Diogo Jota following the Reds' return to the Premier League on Friday (August 15). Arne Slot's men commenced their 2025-26 league campaign with a dramatic 4-2 win over Bournemouth in Anfield.

Hugo Ekitike broke the deadlock in the 37th minute of the encounter after being set up by Alexis Mac Allister. The striker's goal was his first in the league and Liverpool's opening goal of their new Premier League term.

Four minutes into the second half, Cody Gakpo made the scoreline 2-0 in favor of Slot's men. However, Antoine Semenyo scored in the 64th and 76th minutes to level the scores for Bournemouth.

Federico Chiesa directed his effort into the back of the net to give the Reds the lead two minutes before regulation. Six minutes later (90+4’), Salah sealed Liverpool's victory by placing his strike beyond the reach of Djordje Petrovic.

After the season opener, the Reds fans in the stands stood up and chanted Jota's name. This gesture made Salah emotional as he clapped in solidarity with the spectators. The right-winger was in tears as he walked off the pitch.

Jota (28) and his brother Andre Silva (25) died in a car crash on July 3, 2025. Their vehicle reportedly veered off the road in the northern region of Spain, leading to their tragic demise, which stunned the footballing community.

"That was a great moment for me… but my thoughts go to Diogo" - Liverpool forward Federico Chiesa on his goal vs Bournemouth

LFC v Bournemouth - Premier League - Source: Getty

Federico Chiesa said his goal against Bournemouth was a great moment for him. He added that his thoughts went straight to Jota's family and Andre, who died in the car accident with the former Liverpool forward last month.

During an interview after the Reds' 4-2 victory over Bournemouth on Friday, Chiesa said (via Fabrizio Romano's X handle):

"That was a great moment for me… but my thoughts go to Diogo. It was very emotional, very emotional for me. I have to say that after the goal, my thoughts went to his family, his brother Andre. That's the only thing I could say."

Jota scored 65 goals and provided 26 assists in 182 games as a Liverpool forward. Meanwhile, the Reds, who won the 2024-25 Premier League, will look to register their second win of the new season when they take on Newcastle United on Monday (August 25).

About the author

Abel is an European football journalist who focuses primarily on analysis pieces and preview copies at Sportskeeda. A B.Sc degree holder in Economics, he has a previous work experience of 3 years – a year at Opera News Hub where he was promoted as a 'Verified Sports Writer,’ and over two years at Sportskeeda as a revenue-share writer, where his writing skills have ultimately led him to be integrated into the in-house team.

A Manchester United fan who grew up in a family of Red Devils supporters, he started his journey as an ardent football fan in his childhood. He used to spend hours watching the sport with his family and developed a knack for writing about the beautiful game over the years.

He is a huge admirer of Paul Pogba owing to the midfielder's ability to thread passes from anywhere on the pitch and his favorite manager is Jose Mourinho due to the Portuguese's tactical mind. He feels France's triumph in 2018 is his all-time favorite World Cup moment, and reckons Lamine Yamal and Endrick could replicate the rivalry between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

Abel always strives to verify information, especially statistics, before penning a word and offers constructive but not defamatory criticisms. Apart from Europe's top five leagues, he follows the Eredivisie and the Primeira Liga. He loves to spend his free time playing video games like EA FC and watching movies.

Know More

Edited by Parag Jain