Darwin Nunez shares heartbreaking tribute to Diogo Jota after Liverpool team-mate dies

Liverpool striker Darwin Nunez has expressed his sorrow following the death of Liverpool team-mate Diogo Jota. The 28-year-old and his younger brother, Andre Silva, tragically died overnight after a car crash in northern Spain.

The incident occurred just days after Portugal international Jota got married to his childhood sweetheart Rufe Cardoso, mother of his three children.

A tyre blowout on the Lamborghini they were travelling in caused the crash before a fire broke out. Firefighters from the Zamora provincial council were called to the A52, also known as Palacios de Sanabria, where the vehicle had caught fire shortly before 1am on Thursday morning.

The fire damage from the crash was so severe that it prevented tests from being carried out to confirm that the two victims were Jota and his brother. Jota's wife had to identify the pair.

A spokesman for the Civil Guard in Zamora said: "The investigation into the crash is being carried out by Civil Guard traffic officers. We believe the car suffered a blowout from the marks on the road. The full police report once it is completed will be submitted to a duty court in Zamora which has launched an ongoing judicial investigation into this crash.

“That report is going to take time to complete, probably about four or five days but possibly longer. At this moment in time it is impossible to say at exactly what speed the car was going but that is something the Civil Guard investigators will be able to detail at least approximately in their final report from things like the skid marks. What I can confirm is that no other vehicle was involved and no-one else was hurt."

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As the football community and people around the globe mourn the loss of the Portuguese player, Kop No.9 Nunez joined in, paying homage to his team-mate.

On Instagram, Nunez shared two images: one showing Jota replacing him during a match, and another during a training session. He captioned the post with heartfelt words: "There are no words of comfort for so much pain. I will always remember you with your smile, as a good companion on and off the field."

He extended his deepest condolences to Jota's family, assuring them that Jota would continue to watch over them, particularly his wife and three children. Nunez concluded his tribute with "Q.E.P.D Diogo y Andre", which is an abbreviation for "Que en paz descanse" – a Spanish phrase meaning "May he rest in peace".

Jota and Nunez shared the pitch in Liverpool colours 51 times, and were both named in the same matchday squad on 95 occasions.

The duo combined for four goals, with Nunez assisting Jota's goals against Fulham and Accrington Stanley last season, contributing to Liverpool's Premier League triumph.