Ex-Liverpool goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher says the death of Diogo Jota has changed how the club approaches the season, with grief taking priority over results

Ex-Liverpool goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher has revealed that the death of teammate Diogo Jota has deeply affected Liverpool’s approach to the current season, with players prioritising mental wellbeing over results.

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Jota, the Portuguese winger, tragically died in a car crash last summer at age 28.

He scored 65 goals in 182 appearances for Liverpool and played a key role in the club’s FA Cup and League Cup victories in 2022, as well as their Premier League title win last season.

Liverpool currently sit sixth in the Premier League, 14 points behind leaders Arsenal. Despite this, Kelleher, who moved to Brentford last June, said the emotional impact of Jota’s passing has overshadowed football for the club.

“Obviously, football is a massive sport, and people have an opinion, which is natural. People expect you to move on quite quickly, and I don’t think that’s the case,” Kelleher told The Independent.

“I find it a bit strange and a bit difficult when I hear people speaking about the players at Liverpool and the performances, because I don’t think this season is even important from a football aspect for them.”

Liverpool manager Arne Slot echoed these sentiments in November, noting the team still misses Jota both on and off the pitch.

Defender Andrew Robertson also described struggling to cope with Jota’s loss during Scotland’s World Cup qualification matches.

Kelleher, who joined Liverpool’s academy in 2015 and made 67 appearances for the first team, said being away from Anfield has made processing the tragedy easier.

“I stay in touch with some of the guys there, and I have a lot of good friends there. It’s a very difficult time for them, a difficult season, with circumstances that people probably aren’t taking into account too much,” he said.

The 27-year-old added that his move to Brentford was the right decision for his career, independent of the tragedy.

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“From an individual aspect, for me to leave and play first-team football was obviously right, never mind the tragedy that happened,” Kelleher said.