Diogo Jota was speeding when he crashed, Spanish police believe

Spanish police believe Liverpool player Diogo Jota was driving over the speed limit when he and his brother died in a car crash last week.

Spain’s Civil Guard said on Tuesday that while their investigation into the cause of the crash last Thursday continues, they believe Jota was driving too fast when the Lamborghini veered off course after a tire burst.

Previously, the police had not said if Jota or his brother André Silva were driving. On Tuesday they said that it appeared Jota was.

The siblings died in the car when it burst into flames on an isolated section of highway early in the morning. The speed limit on that portion of the dual carriageway is 120km/h (74.5mp/h).

Portuguese media reported Jota, 28, was heading to the northern Spanish city of Santander to take a ferry to England where he would rejoin Liverpool after being advised not to fly following a recent lung procedure.

The brothers were laid to rest on Saturday in the Portuguese town of Gondomar, where the two had grown up.

A wake and funeral had taken place earlier and was attended by dignitaries, family, friends and teammates, past and present, of the two players. Silva played for Portuguese lower division side Penafiel.

Tributes to Jota and his brother have poured in, while thousands of fans have made their way to Anfield stadium to pay their respects to the Liverpool forward.

There were also floral tributes at the AXA Training Centre on Tuesday, as Liverpool returned for preseason training after Jota’s passing delayed their initial planned start date.

The Premier League champions are due to play their first game of the summer against Preston North End on July 13, although it is not yet clear whether it will take place.

Information from ESPN’s Adriana Garcia was used in this report.