'Diogo was an incredibly important player for us, having him in side changed whole dynamics': Jurgen Klopp

Liverpool manager Arne Slot and former boss Jurgen Klopp reflected on the late Diogo Jota’s impact. Slot praised the centre-forward’s personal and professional achievements, while Klopp hailed his influence on the team’s dynamics. Slot also looked back on last season’s tight battle with Arsenal, stressing the importance of fighting for fine margins again this year.

Speaking on JioHotstar’s special show, ‘Preview of the Season 2025-26’, Arne Slot praised Diogo Jota’s achievements over the past year. He said, "He was a champion for his family, which is the most important thing. He was a champion for his country, winning the Nations League for a nation he loves

(Portugal) and cares deeply about. And he was a champion for us by helping win the Premier League.”

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Meanwhile, former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp highlighted Jota’s impact on the team. He said, “Diogo was an incredibly important player for us. Having him in the side changed the dynamics.”

Slot expressed his admiration for Jota as both, a player and a person. “I think his parents and Rute (Jota’s wife – Rute Cardoso) can be extremely proud of the player and the person he was. He always stayed true to himself, and they should — and will — be very proud.” The current Liverpool manager also reflected on competing with Arsenal last season. He said, “The gap between us and Arsenal in terms of points may have looked big, but the margins between winning and losing were always very tight for us. We won many games by just a single goal, which shows how hard we had to work for every result. We’ll have to fight for those fine margins again this season.”