Diogo Jota's physiotherapist hits back at speculation over cause of death as Liverpool forward was intending to 'rest' after treatment for collapsed lung

Miguel Goncalves, a respiratory physiotherapist, was treating Jota for a collapsed lung, a condition he had been suffering from for several months. Goncalves revealed that Jota had decided to postpone treatment so he could play for Portugal in the UEFA Nations League finals, where they won the trophy for a second time by beating Spain on penalties.

Goncalves saw Jota and his brother Andre Silva just before they set off on their fatal journey from Portugal through the north of Spain. They were intending to take a ferry from Santander to the south of England before driving up to Liverpool to report for pre-season next Monday. And the physiotherapist emphasised that Jota was a professional, also dismissing online rumours that he and his brother had gone out partying before making the journey.

Goncalves told Record: "I've read some things on the internet that are regrettable, and I've even heard some in the media. To be clear, Diogo and Andre weren't partying at all, they did nothing wrong. They were going to travel at night because it was cooler, but they weren’t going direct. He told me that the journey would take about eight hours, but that they would stop at a hotel in the Burgos area to rest. Diogo was very aware of his professionalism. They were only supposed to arrive in Santander today, catch the boat and then go to England."

Goncalves said Jota was on his way to making a full recovery from the lung problem and was excited about the coming season with Liverpool and defending their Premier League title. He added: "The base of his right lung had collapsed a little, but with the post-surgery physiotherapy he was practically flawless. When I left him yesterday he was no longer in pain and was going to return to Liverpool. He was excited, confident about his recovery and enthusiastic about the next season."

Jota and Andre's bodies have been returned to Portugal ahead of their funeral, which will be held on Saturday. On Thursday fans paid tribute at the stadiums of Jota's three main clubs: Liverpool, Wolves and Porto.