Chelsea coach Enzo Maresca said Pedro Neto is grieving the death of his close friend and Portugal teammate Diogo Jota, and the decision to play in Friday’s Club World Cup quarterfinal against Palmeiras is entirely his own.
PHILADELPHIA — Enzo Maresca has told Chelsea forward Pedro Neto that it will be „completely his decision“ if he plays in Friday’s Club World Cup quarterfinal against Palmeiras following the death of close friend and Portugal team-mate Diogo Jota.
Liverpool forward Jota, 28, was killed alongside his brother André Silva on Wednesday evening in northern Spain following a car crash. Jota played alongside Neto at Wolves before moving to Liverpool in 2020 and the pair won the UEFA Nations League together with Portugal last month.
Neto did not take part in Chelsea’s training session in Miami on Thursday morning after being told of Jota’s passing.
