Real Madrid has been forced to issue a public apology after a serious error in a memorial video tribute to the late Liverpool star Diogo Jota and his brother, Andre Silva.
A Painful Mistake in a Tribute
The Spanish football giants inadvertently displayed a picture of the wrong player during a segment honouring notable figures who passed away in the last year. The video was shown at the club's Ordinary General Assembly of Representative Members.
Instead of a photograph of Andre Silva, who played for Portuguese side Penafiel, the video featured an image of Andre da Silva, a current player for LaLiga team Elche. The brothers tragically died in a car accident in northern Spain this summer, a event that sent the football world into mourning.
Swift Apology and Club Response
Following the error, Real Madrid moved quickly to address the mistake. The club posted a formal statement on social media, which read: "Real Madrid C.F. apologises to Elche C.F. and its player Andre da Silva for having mistakenly included his image in the obituary of an institutional video instead of that of Andre Silva, the brother of Diogo Jota, the Liverpool player. We regret this incident."
Club president Florentino Perez also offered a verbal apology for the blunder during the assembly. The timing was particularly sensitive, as Real Madrid were scheduled to play against Elche in a domestic league match just days later.
Previous Tributes to the Jota Brothers
This was not Real Madrid's first gesture of respect towards the deceased players. Prior to the international break, the Spanish club paid a special tribute to Jota and Silva ahead of their Champions League fixture at Liverpool's Anfield.
Former Reds midfielder Xabi Alonso laid a wreath at a memorial site close to where Jota had celebrated significant victories with Liverpool, including last season's Premier League title.
Jota's former teammate, Trent Alexander-Arnold, who left Liverpool over the summer, also prepared a personal floral tribute with a heartfelt message. The card read: "My mate Diogo. You are so missed but still so loved. Yours and Andre's memory will always live on. I smile every time I think about you and will always remember the great times we shared. Miss you mate, every day. Love Trent and family. Forever 20. YNWA."
In a touching nod to Jota's well-known passion, a red PlayStation controller was left at the scene, signed with the words "Forever a champion 20. TAA." Alexander-Arnold and Jota played 145 matches together for Liverpool, winning multiple trophies including the Premier League and FA Cup.
