Diogo Jota’s physiotherapist, Miguel Gonçalves, spoke about the final hours before the tragic car accident that claimed the lives of the footballer and his brother in Spain’s Zamora province.
Idman.biz, citing the “Record” publication, reports that the respiratory physiotherapist treated the Portuguese forward just five hours before his death.
Jota was suffering from a condition known as pneumothorax, or collapsed lung. Although this issue troubled him for some time, he had postponed surgery. After learning that flying would be dangerous for his health, he decided to take a ship back to England.
Gonçalves said he saw the footballer and his brother around 8:30 PM and that they planned to travel at night to avoid the high temperatures.
The physiotherapist also denied rumors that the brothers were out for entertainment and described his patient as a “professional”: “He told me the journey would take about eight hours, but they planned to stay at a hotel in the Burgos region to rest. Diogo knew his professionalism well. They were supposed to reach Santander first, then take a ship to England.
His family was supposed to arrive by plane later, and he was scheduled for a medical check-up in Liverpool on Monday to assess his condition. I had been working with him since last Saturday and had been with him every day until Wednesday. I said goodbye to them over dinner.”
Gonçalves clarified the state of the illness: “The lower part of his right lung was somewhat collapsed, but thanks to physiotherapy, it was almost in perfect condition. When I left him yesterday, he was already pain-free and preparing to return to Liverpool.”
According to the physiotherapist, the Portuguese footballer did not intend to join Liverpool’s summer training camp in Japan, as he wanted to fully focus on his recovery.
Idman.biz
