LONDON – A moment of silence honoring former Liverpool forward Diogo jota and his brother Andre Silva was disrupted at Wembley Stadium on Sunday during the Community Shield match between Liverpool and Crystal Palace.
Tribute interrupted amid Premier League curtain-raiser
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A minority of Crystal Palace fans failed to observe the tribute, drawing immediate criticism from other supporters and prompting the referee to end the commemoration early.
What happened during the moment of silence? A minority of Crystal Palace fans disrupted the pre-match tribute to Diogo Jota and his brother Andre Silva, leading to a premature end to the commemoration.
before the game kicked off, both Liverpool and Crystal Palace players and staff stood in silence to remember the brothers, who tragically died in a car accident in Spain in July. The accident occured when their Lamborghini veered off a road and caught fire near Zamora.
A small group of Crystal Palace supporters broke the silence, sparking a strong reaction from Liverpool fans at the other end of the stadium. Many Eagles supporters also attempted to silence those who were not respecting the tribute.
Referee Chris kavanagh ultimately blew his whistle, signaling the conclusion of the moment of silence.
Did you know? – The Community Shield match is a symbolic start to the English football season, traditionally played between the Premier League champions and the FA Cup winners. It dates back to 1908.
Manager downplays incident
Liverpool manager Arne Slot addressed the disruption after the match, suggesting it wasn’t a purposeful act.
“I don’t think this was planned, or that this was the idea of the fan that made some noise,” Slot said. “Maybe he wasn’t aware of the fact that it was the minute of silence.And I think then the fans of Palace were trying to calm that person or those persons down.They tried to calm him down, but that was a bit noisy as well.And then our fans reacted, ‘Hey, what’s happening here?'”
Crystal Palace ultimately won the Community Shield match, defeating Liverpool 3-2 on penalties after the game ended in a 2-2 draw.This marked Liverpool’s first major fixture since the passing of Jota, who was 28.
Continued tributes for Jota
The Premier League champions have continued to honor Jota since his death, including retiring his No. 20 jersey.
During sunday’s match,Liverpool fans began applauding Jota when the game reached the 20-minute mark. The applause transitioned into cheers as new signing Jeremie Frimpong scored, putting Liverpool 2-1 ahead.
The Community Shield serves as the traditional curtain-raiser for the top-flight English football season, contested between the reigning league champion and the FA cup winner.
Pro tip: – Moments of silence are a common practice in sports to honor individuals or events. Disrupting these tributes is widely considered disrespectful and can lead to sanctions.
