The death of Diogo Jota and his brother, André Silva, in a car accident in Spain on 3 July 2025 left Liverpool facing an emotional crisis before the season had even begun. The club started its title defence six weeks later, without a player who had spent five years at Anfield.
“É difícil descrever ou falar sobre isso, porque o que passamos foi horrendo,” Robertson said. His words underline that this was not simply a poor run of form or a difficult tactical transition. Liverpool were attempting to compete while mourning a teammate, friend and dressing-room presence.
Liverpool’s rebuild added further pressure. Florian Wirtz, Alexander Isak and Hugo Ekitiké arrived during a period of major change, while Arne Slot, Mohamed Salah, Ibrahima Konaté and Robertson also departed.
Robertson said the newcomers were asked to settle into a club still struggling to function normally: “Quando falo das contratações, elas chegavam a um clube de coração partido e tentavam ajudar.”
The final standings reflected the scale of the fall. Liverpool finished fifth, 25 points behind champions Arsenal, suffered 12 Premier League defeats and ended the campaign without a trophy.
For Robertson, the missing ingredient was the force that had driven the title-winning side. “Todo jogador tem essa intensidade. Quando você a perde, às vezes não consegue atuar no seu melhor. Acho que na última temporada nós perdemos isso,” he said.
Liverpool has kept Jota’s memory central, retiring No. 20 and creating a permanent memorial at Anfield. The next challenge is turning remembrance into renewed purpose. The coming season will show whether a reshaped squad can restore the intensity Robertson believes disappeared.