 "WATCH: Liverpool pay emotional tribute to Diogo Jota in Premier League opener with family present")
Liverpool started their 2025-26 Premier League season with a 4-2 win over Bournemouth at Anfield on Saturday, August 16. The night was all about remembering Diogo Jota. The Portuguese forward lost his life in a car accident in Spain last month along with his younger brother Andre Silva.
Jota’s family was in the stands as fans and players paid tributes before kick-off, during the match, and after it ended as well. Fans also held up a mosaic reading “DJ20” and “AS30”. They also sang “You’ll never walk alone” before the start of the match and observed a moment’s silence in honour of Jota and his brother.
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) August 15, 2025
Players from the Liverpool team stood arm-in-arm around the center circle, and staff and players from both clubs wore black armbands.
After the final whistle, Salah was reduced to tears as he stood in front of the storied Kop stand and kept going a song about Jota that was being chanted by the home supporters.
Salah also repeated Jota’s two-armed celebration after his goal, while Ekitike and Gakpo also dedicated their goals to Jota.
“Normally at 2-2, everyone knows which player I look to at that moment in time. I would have loved to bring in Diogo Jota but I could not, for terrible reasons," Liverpool manager Arne Slot said.
“But tonight, the fans and the players did what he did for us many times in the past.”
‘Diogo’s day’ marred by racism claim
Federico Chiesa scored in the 88th minute and Mohamed Salah added another goal in stoppage time as Liverpool recovered after throwing away a two-goal lead.
In between goals by Hugo Ekitike and Cody Gakpo that put Liverpool 2-0 ahead, the game was briefly paused in the 28th after Bournemouth forward Antoine Semenyo reported to referee Anthony Taylor that he was targeted with racist language by a spectator.
Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola said the person who abused Semenyo was identified.
Semenyo, a 25-year-old Ghana international, needed to be consoled by teammates after the alleged incident but played on for the whole match and scored in the 64th and 76th to draw Bournemouth level. His second was a brilliant individual goal starting deep inside his own half.
“I don’t know how Ant’s played on, to be honest, and come up with those goals,” said Bournemouth captain Adam Smith, who added that Semenyo was “a little bit down.”
(With agency inputs)
 "Russian drones over Poland: Trump’s tepid reaction a wake-up call for Nato?")
 "As Russia pushes east, Ukraine faces mounting pressure to defend its heartland")
 "Why Mossad was not on board with Israel’s strike on Hamas in Qatar")
 "Turkey: Erdogan's police arrest opposition mayor Hasan Mutlu, dozens officials in corruption probe")
 "Russian drones over Poland: Trump’s tepid reaction a wake-up call for Nato?")
 "As Russia pushes east, Ukraine faces mounting pressure to defend its heartland")
 "Why Mossad was not on board with Israel’s strike on Hamas in Qatar")
 "Turkey: Erdogan's police arrest opposition mayor Hasan Mutlu, dozens officials in corruption probe")
