Real reason Florian Wirtz missed Liverpool's emotional first pre-season fixture at Preston

Florian Wirtz was conspicuous by his absence as Liverpool kicked off their pre-season at Preston North End.The Germany star,who could eventually cost a British record £116million, was the only one of the club's six new summer signings not to feature in the squad.

Giant new goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili, the £29m arrival from Valencia, started in goal. Fellow new signings Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez, along with goalkeepers Freddie Woodman and Armin Pesci, were on the bench.

But Wirtz was among several senior players who didn't make up part of the match day squad. They included club captain Virgil van Dijk, centre-back partner Ibrahima Konate, plus South American trio Alexis Mac Allister, Luis Diaz and Alisson.

Harvey Elliott, after his star turn for England Under-21s during their European Championship success, was also missing, along with Young Lions team-mate Tyler Morton. That duo are on an extended break after their performances for Lee Carsley's men.

Wirtz is among those that are being eased into individual sessions at the club's Kirkby training ground following their own international exploits. Wirtz played for Germany in the Nations League after a long season with Bayer Leverkusen and no risks are being taken over the fitness of the club's stars - their new big-money signing, after a summer of upheaval, in particular.

READ MORE: Liverpool stars pay tribute to Diogo Jota in emotional scenes at first match since tragic death

READ MORE: Arne Slot reveals emotional demand to Liverpool players after Diogo Jota tragedy

Liverpool paid an emotional tribute to Diogo Jota and his brother Andre Silva ahead of kick-off. The match was Liverpool’s first since the two men were killed in a car accident in Spain on July 3, and before kick-off there was a rendition of ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’ and Preston’s club song ‘Can’t Help Falling In Love With You’ performed by Claudio Rose Maguire, wife of former Preston player Sean.

As Maguire sang Liverpool’s anthem, Preston captain Ben Whiteman laid a wreath in front of the visiting fans, with the Bill Shankly Kop dominated by banners and scarves bearing Jota’s name. Liverpool supporters had sung the first of many renditions of his song 20 minutes before kick-off.

There had been questions over whether this game would go ahead as Liverpool players – several of whom attended the funeral of the two brothers in Portugal last Saturday – were given extra time before reporting for pre-season training, but it became an opportunity to honour their memories.

Jota, 28, and Silva, 25, were killed when a tyre on the car in which they were travelling burst in Zamora, northern Spain. Jota’s death came just 11 days after the father of three had married his long-time partner Rute.

Liverpool have announced that Jota’s No.20 shirt will be retired at all levels within the club.

“We will always carry him with us in our hearts, in our thoughts, wherever we go,” boss Arne Slot said on the club website. “To retire his shirt is the one thing we could, should and have done… I think what I take comfort in (is that) in the last month of his life he was a champion in everything. A champion for his family, which is the main and most important thing, because he got married.

“A champion for his country because he won the Nations League, (with) a country that he cared about so much, because he also wore the flag when we had celebrations. And of course a champion for us by winning the Premier League.”

Asked about the decision to play Sunday’s game, Slot said: “Nothing seems to be important if we think of what has happened. But we are a football club and we need to train and we need to play again, if we want it or not.

“It’s very difficult to find the right words because we constantly debate what is appropriate. What is appropriate in our actions? What is appropriate (for) what we have to say? Can we train again? Can we laugh again? Can we be angry if there’s a wrong decision?

“And I’ve said to them, maybe the best thing for us to do is handle this situation like Jota. And what I meant with that is that Jota was always himself, it didn’t matter if he was talking to me, to his team-mates, to the staff, he was always himself. So let us try to be ourselves as well.”

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