Diogo Jota’s importance to the Liverpool team is growing by the day. The Portuguese forward hasn’t particularly set Anfield ablaze since joining from Wolves in the summer of 2020, but there’s no denying he’s one of the best squad players in the team, especially since the departure of Roberto Firmino last summer.
Jota has taken on a more prominent role this season, featuring more regularly than in all his other seasons at the club. Sadly, his progress may have been halted by a potential long-term injury after he was stretchered off in the 4-1 win over Brentford on Saturday.
When will Diogo Jota return to Liverpool squad?
Injury has threatened to end Diogo Jota’s season after he was taken off on a stretcher in Liverpool’s emphatic 4-1 victory over Brentford in the Premier League as the Reds maintained their position at the top of the Premier League. His injury came less than 10 minutes after he provided Darwin Nunez with an incredible assist to help Liverpool break the duck.
The former Wolves forward went down under a heavy challenge, holding his knee, which immediately sent some chills down the spines of Liverpool fans, who initially feared an ACL injury. The fact that Jota was stretchered off didn’t help calm the fears, but reports now suggest the Portuguese forward’s injury is not as serious as initially feared.
Diogo Jota, who has been wearing a nickname on his back, will now most likely be sidelined for two months, which means he’ll only manage to return at the dying stages of the season. He could still prove to be helpful to Liverpool’s title challenge. He will also be supporting his teammates from home or in the stands when they face Chelsea in the Carabao Cup final next weekend, alongside other injured players like Alexander-Arnold, Alison Becker, Curtis Jones, and Joel Matip, to mention but a few.
Diogo Jota’s spot at the Euro 2024 is certain
As mentioned earlier, the initial prognosis of Diogo Jota’s knee injury in the first half of the Premier League game against Brentford was that he had damaged his ACL, which is the worst injury any sportsperson could ever have.
The way he went down under the challenge and held his knee was a huge concern for not just Liverpool fans but also Portugal. An ACL injury would have ruled Jota out of Euro 2024, putting a little dent in Cristiano Ronaldo’s hopes of winning another major title with his country after his first triumph in Euro 2016 in France.
However, with Diogo Jota only to be sidelined for two months, he should return to full fitness before the tournament kicks off in Germany in mid-June, when host country Germany goes off against Scotland. Portugal’s first group-stage game will come against the Czech Republic two days later.
