Arne Slot spoke emotionally on Thursday about the death of Diogo Jota in a car crash in July. The Liverpool manager confirmed that the English club had paid his widow his full salary until the end of his contract.

As impressive as it may be before matches played at Anfield, the You'll Never Walk Alone chant is not just a simple anthem to the glory of Liverpool . It is also a philosophy in its own right within the English club, as Arne Slot confirmed this Thursday. The Dutch coach confirmed in an interview with TNT Sports that the English champions had indeed paid the full contract to Diogo Jota 's wife , Rute Cardoso, despite her death on July 3.

"Club owners are often criticized, as are managers, but the way they handled the situation," the Dutch coach said before his team's trip to Crystal Palace this Saturday in the Premier League. "They paid his wife and children all the money stipulated in the contract. Maybe people think that's normal, but it's not in football."

“It’s incredible what our fans have done.”

Victim of a tragic car accident in Spain with his brother André Silva, the 28-year-old striker was still tied to Liverpool for two seasons at the time of his death. Beyond the deep emotion aroused by this tragedy, the Reds did not want to abandon his family and therefore decided to pay the entire sum stipulated in his lease with the English club until 2027, i.e. approximately 15.5 million euros. But what impressed Arne Slot the most was the way in which the supporters and his players dealt with this sad event.

"The grief that the whole city is going through is what makes it so special for me to work for this club," explained the manager, who won the title in his first season in England. "Because working for a club that has success and organizes parades, the biggest in the world... But the way the fans behaved after this tragedy and how many flowers were laid at the memorial, I could be moved just thinking about it."

Before continuing: "It's incredible what our fans did. And our players too, the way they behaved on the sidelines of the funeral."

Slot admits it's sometimes "a little difficult"

Diogo Jota's widow , who has been criticized and targeted by wild rumors on social media in recent months, has never responded. On Monday, Rute Cardoso was in Paris for the Ballon d'Or ceremony , where a vibrant tribute to her husband was held alongside the festivities. At Anfield and during the Reds' travels, their supporters have been quick to pay tribute to the Portuguese striker in the 20th minute of each match, referencing his shirt number.

"Afterwards, we had to retrain. And there are times when I feel the same way his wife and children must feel now, because it seems so hard, but our lives go on," Arne Slot finally said of the grief of an entire club and an entire city. "People expect me to prepare for the matches. And sometimes it's a little difficult when you know how hard it is for the family, for his parents, and with the things they have to face for the rest of their lives."