Saturday’s briefing: Saying goodbye to Diogo Jota and England start Euros | OneFootball

Football will briefly take a back seat on Saturday as Diogo Jota and Andre Silva’s family and friends gather to celebrate their lives.

On the pitch, England and Wales both launch their Euro 2025 campaigns in Switzerland with the defending champions in action after Rhian Wilkinson’s finals first-timers.

Former Arsenal midfielder Thomas Partey is facing a court appearance after being charged with five counts of rape.

Mourners pay respects to Diogo Jota

The funeral of Liverpool striker Diogo Jota and his younger brother Andre Silva will take place in Portugal on Saturday morning.

Mourners will gather to pay their respects to the two men at the Igreja Matriz de Gondomar at 10am a day after a wake was held at the nearby Capela da Ressurreicao.

Jota, 28, and his 26-year-old brother died in a car crash in Zamora, Spain, in the early hours of Thursday morning.

Their deaths prompted an outpouring of sympathy for Jota’s wife Rute, who he married less than two weeks ago, their three children and the wider family from the football world and beyond.

Lioness Leah raring to go

England captain Leah Williamson revealed she finally felt free to let go of “anxiety” on the eve of the Lionesses’ European Championship opener against France in Zurich.

The Arsenal defender, who famously lifted the trophy in 2022, was forced to miss England’s first run to a Women’s World Cup final two summers ago in Australia after suffering an anterior cruciate ligament injury.

“I’ve probably held some anxiety, I suppose, up until this moment,” said Williamson, when asked if missing the World Cup and her recovery had given her a new appreciation for this opportunity.

“I wanted to experience another tournament for England, and being away from home is special. It’s a bit different to England in 2022, so I’m just taking everything in. I’m very excited. Obviously so much has changed, so I’m intrigued to come back and enjoy that tournament football.”

The time has come for Wales

Rhian Wilkinson is confident Wales are ready for their “watershed moment” on a first major tournament stage at Euro 2025.

While few expect Wales, who kick off their campaign against the Netherlands in Lucerne on Saturday evening as the lowest ranked team in the competition, to progress from a daunting group which also includes England and France, Wilkinson believes the game has changed in the country forever.

Speaking at her pre-match press conference, she said: “This is a wonderful team, great people, fantastic footballers, and we’re going to be tested against some of the best in the world.

“That’s what we’ve been wanting. To showcase Wales as a country, this team and their talent.”

Thomas Partey charged

Former Arsenal midfielder Thomas Partey has been charged with raping two women.

The Metropolitan Police said the Ghana international, whose contract at the Emirates Stadium expired on June 30, faces five counts of rape and one count of sexual assault following alleged offences between 2021 and 2022.

Partey’s lawyer Jenny Wiltshire said he “denies all the charges against him”, adding: “He now welcomes the opportunity to finally clear his name.”

The player, who is due to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on August 5, is accused of two counts of rape against one woman and three counts of rape against another. The sexual assault allegation relates to a third woman, police added.

What’s on today?

European champions England launch their defence with a tough Group D opener against France in Zurich.

Debutants and group rivals Wales also get under way when they face the Netherlands in Lucerne looking to gain a foothold in the competition.

At the Club World Cup, Champions League winners Paris St Germain go head-to-head with Bayern Munich in Atlanta with a semi-final against either Real Madrid or Borussia Dortmund, who meet at the MetLife Stadium, at stake.