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Liverpool launched their pre-season campaign at Preston North End without star signing Florian Wirtz, whose absence drew attention. The £116 million-rated Germany international, who joined the Reds in what could become a British transfer record, was the only one of the club’s six summer acquisitions not to appear in the matchday squad.
Florian Wirtz among notable omissions
Wirtz, fresh from international duty with Germany in the Nations League and a demanding season with Bayer Leverkusen, is currently undergoing tailored individual training sessions at the club’s Kirkby base. Liverpool are taking a cautious approach with their high-profile summer addition to ensure peak fitness ahead of the new season.
He was joined on the sidelines by several first-team regulars, including captain Virgil van Dijk, defensive partner Ibrahima Konate, and South American stars Alexis Mac Allister, Luis Diaz, and Alisson Becker. England Under-21 Euros champions Harvey Elliott and Tyler Morton were also rested after their exploits for Lee Carsley’s squad.
New faces take the field
New £29 million goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili, signed from Valencia, started between the posts. Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez also featured on the bench, joined by goalkeepers Freddie Woodman and Armin Pesci.
Honouring Diogo Jota and Andre Silva
The fixture was steeped in emotion as the club paid tribute to Diogo Jota and his brother Andre Silva, who tragically died in a car crash in Spain on July 3. Ahead of kickoff, Claudio Rose Maguire, wife of former Preston player Sean Maguire, performed moving renditions of ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’ and Preston’s anthem ‘Can’t Help Falling In Love With You.’
Preston captain Ben Whiteman placed a wreath before Liverpool’s travelling supporters, many of whom held aloft banners and scarves in memory of Jota. Supporters began chanting his song 20 minutes before the game commenced.
The match went ahead despite initial uncertainty, following a private funeral in Portugal last week, which many Liverpool players attended.
Slot: “We Will Always Carry Him With Us”
Manager Arne Slot spoke candidly about Jota's legacy, saying,
We will always carry him with us in our hearts, in our thoughts, wherever we go. To retire his shirt is the one thing we could, should and have done.
Slot added:
In the last month of his life, he was a champion in everything—family, country, and club.
Reflecting on the emotional return to football, Slot concluded:
Maybe the best thing for us to do is handle this situation like Jota... he was always himself. So let us try to be ourselves as well.
Liverpool will now play AC Milan on July 26th, followed by a match with Yokohama F. Marinos and Athletic Club.
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