Andy Robertson recently made an appearance on Sky Sports’ The Overlap, speaking to Jamie Carragher, Gary Neville et al about a wealth of different things from across his football career. Perhaps one of the most noteworthy was a conversation that was had around the tragic death of Diogo Jota, the impact that that had on the Liverpool team and the manner in which the club’s expensive new signings struggled to settle into a team that was mourning the loss of their friend and teammate. Whilst away with Sweden, Alexander Isak has responded to what Robertson said.
Robertson’s Words
The defence of Liverpool’s title came just a month after the team learned about the deaths of Diogo Jota and his brother, André Silva. Speaking on The Overlap, the Scottish left-back confirmed that the squad had ‘lost its edge’, with the players in mourning. He said, “If I’m talking about football, it took them months to settle in because we didn’t care about football. That was the truth of it because we just lost one of your best mates in the changing room…I think all footballers we all have that edge, don’t we? I think when you lose that edge sometimes, then you can’t perform to your best.”
“Nobody can prepare for what we had to go through”
Andy Robertson on the passing of Diogo Jota and André Silva. pic.twitter.com/yrAsMfmVv8
— The Overlap (@WeAreTheOverlap) May 21, 2026
He went on, “When I look back on it, we lost that maybe determination a little bit, and things like that because I know at times we were going ‘What’s the point?’ Look at what Jotsy’s family are going through, look at his kids. But yeah, we were grieving as a group. It was our mate at the end of the day. He’s not a footballer to us. He was a team-mate, he was a friend, he was an everything.” None of that should come as a surprise to anyone who has suffered a loss themselves, but it’s still noteworthy to hear a player express it so directly.
Isak Shows Understanding
Whilst away on international duty with Sweden, Alexander Isak was asked about what Robertson had said and the suggestion that he and fellow expensive summer signing Florian Wirtz struggled to settle in as a result. He said, “I understand. It was a tough period, especially for those who were already at the club. They know best what the team was like and how they felt, but you can certainly understand it. I feel more sorry for the ones who were there and had to go through that. You have to take what he says at face value.”
It was an intelligent response from the player, perhaps flying in the face of those who would like to suggest that all footballers are idiots.