Captain believes Liverpool’s performances this season have reflected the upheaval they have faced
Virgil van Dijk has admitted Liverpool’s players are still coming to terms with the death of Diogo Jota as they prepare to close the year with a deeply emotional home game against Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Speaking ahead of Saturday’s Premier League fixture at Anfield, the Liverpool captain reflected on a calendar year that has brought both high success and deep sorrow. Liverpool celebrated winning their 20th Premier League title with a bus parade in May under new head coach Arne Slot, but then the club experienced a huge loss only two months later Jota’s death in a car crash in Spain in July, in which his brother Andre Silva also lost his life.
“Saturday marks our last fixture of 2025 and when I reflect back on the year there have been a wide range of emotions for everybody at the club,” Van Dijk said.
“There have been some incredible highs, of course. To become Premier League champions, as we did back in April, was incredible. Lifting that trophy in front of you guys at Anfield is a memory that I will never forget, I can assure you. It was a real team effort and a deserved reward for a season of hard work, on and off the pitch.”
Those celebrations were then followed by a loss that Van Dijk said continues to affect the squad on a personal level.
“Soon after that, though, came the most devastating of lows,” said Liverpool’s captain. “The loss of Diogo Jota and his brother Andre Silva in July was something none of us could ever have prepared for, and something all of us are still coming to terms with.
“Our thoughts, as ever, remain with Diogo and Andre’s family. They will never, ever be forgotten, and we will carry their memory always.”
Van Dijk acknowledged that Liverpool’s performances this season have reflected that upheaval they have faced.
“In terms of football, this season has been mixed, to say the least,” Van Dijk said. “We have seen a lot of changes in terms of the squad, with players leaving and new players arriving, and I think it’s fair to say that we have not yet shown our very best, in terms of consistency.”
“We have had some good games and some memorable victories, still, but it has also been extremely challenging, with some really tough moments along the way. As captain, trust me when I say I feel those tough moments as much as anyone.”
Saturday’s match against Wolves is so special because Jota represented both clubs during his career. Liverpool will look to use the occasion to finish the year on a positive note, even if most of the evening will revolve around the player they two clubs have both lost.
“The focus is solely on Saturday’s game,” said Van Dijk. “We will be looking to build on some positive recent results, and end the year on a high in front of our supporters at Anfield.”
