Real Madrid apologises for memorial mix-up
Real Madrid has issued an apology after mistakenly featuring the wrong photograph in a tribute video intended to commemorate Liverpool player Diogo Jota’s late brother, Andre Silva, reports BritPanorama.
The Spanish club inadvertently displayed an image of Elche striker Andre da Silva during a ceremony at the Ordinary General Assembly of Representative Members on Sunday, where they recognised those who have passed away over the past year.
This error arose due to the similarity in the names of the two players. Addressing the mistake directly, club president Florentino Perez expressed regret during the assembly, stating, “There was a mistake in the remembrance of Diogo Jota, and the image of Andre da Silva was shown instead of (Jota’s) brother Andre Silva. A human error, for which I want to apologise sincerely.”
Among those included in the video tribute were notable figures such as Leo Beenhakker, Jose Manuel Ochotorena, Mario Vargas Llosa, Giorgio Armani, Pope Francisco, and former Barcelona club doctor Carles Minarro.
The club followed up with an official statement on their social media platforms, saying, “Real Madrid C. F. apologises to Elche C. F. and its player Andre da Silva for having mistakenly included, in the obituary of an institutional video, his image instead of that of André Silva, brother of Diogo Jota, Liverpool player. We regret what happened.”
This incident is particularly unfortunate for Real Madrid, as they are scheduled to face Elche at the Martinez Valero stadium later today.
Both Andre Silva and his brother tragically lost their lives in a car accident in Spain last July, aged 28 and 26, respectively. Their deaths resonated throughout the football community, prompting condolences from various clubs. Liverpool supporters have been honouring Jota’s memory by chanting his name during the twentieth minute of matches.
Real Madrid had previously acknowledged their respect for the Silva brothers when the two teams met in November’s Champions League fixture, laying floral tributes and messages at the stadium.
As the season progresses, the echo of these tragedies serves as a poignant reminder of the fragility of life, emphasising how connected the football community remains, even in moments of profound loss.
