Police: 'Excessive speed' likely a factor in crash that killed Jota

Liverpool and Portugal star Diogo Jota was likely speeding when his car veered off a motorway in Spain last week killing him and his brother, Spanish police said on Tuesday.

The shock deaths of Jota, 28, and Andre Silva, 25, on July 3 plunged the football world into mourning, less than two weeks after the striker had got married.

An ongoing investigation is examining "the marks left by one of the vehicle's wheels... everything points to a possible excessive speed beyond the road's speed limit", the Civil Guard said.

"All the tests conducted so far indicate that the driver of the vehicle was Diogo Jota," it added.

The force had previously said a tire had probably blown out while the vehicle was overtaking, causing it to crash and burst into flames in the northwestern province of Zamora.

Just hours before the accident, Jota had posted a video of his June 22 wedding to partner Rute Cardoso, with whom he had three children.

The deaths sparked an outpouring of grief, particularly in the brothers' native Portugal and at Jota's Premier League club Liverpool.

Political leaders as well as star players from Portugal and Liverpool joined family and friends at the funeral on Saturday in the Porto suburb of Gondomar.

Following spells at Atletico Madrid, Porto and Wolverhampton Wanderers, Jota became a fan favourite at Liverpool after joining the Premier League giants in 2020.

He netted 65 times for the Reds in five seasons, lifting the League Cup and FA Cup in 2021/22 and helping them win a record-equalling 20th English league title last season.

The striker also earned 49 caps for Portugal and was part of the team that won this year's UEFA Nations League.

Younger brother Andre played in midfield for FC Penafiel in Portugal's second tier.

Liverpool's players returned to training on Tuesday for the first time since Jota's funeral. The Premier League champions postponed the start of their preseason regimen in the wake of Jota's death.

A site of remembrance has been set up at the club's iconic Anfield stadium where hundreds of bouquets of flowers, shirts, scarves and pictures have been left by fans and former players in recent days.

Liverpool's first preseason friendly is scheduled for Sunday away at Championship side Preston. But ticket sales for that match have been suspended pending a final decision on whether the match will go ahead.

Liverpool are then due to go on an Asian tour, playing AC Milan in Hong Kong and Japanese side Yokohama Marinos before the end of the month.