Alexander Isak explains how Diogo Jota tragedy affected his first Liverpool season

Alexander Isak has reflected on the difficult circumstances surrounding his first season at Liverpool following the death of Diogo Jota in the summer of 2025.

Andrew Robertson recently explained that Liverpool's new arrivals entered a dressing room still processing the loss of a hugely popular teammate and close friend. Isak, who was among those arriving at Anfield that summer, has now acknowledged that the tragedy inevitably affected the environment around the squad.

The Sweden international insists Liverpool's players still made him feel welcome, but accepts there were emotions behind the scenes that newcomers could not fully understand.

Speaking to Fotbollskanalen, Isak said Robertson and Liverpool's longer-serving players were better placed to describe exactly how Jota's death affected the group.

“It was a tough period, especially for those who were already at the club,” Isak said.

“They know best what the team was like and how they felt, but you can certainly understand it.”

Isak stressed that he did not personally struggle to integrate because of the quality of the group around him.

Instead, he believes there were understandably things happening emotionally in the background following Jota's death.

“It wasn’t difficult to settle in as such, since it’s a fantastic group, but there might have been something going on in the background without one consciously realising it,” he explained.

Isak added that the atmosphere around Liverpool is now positive, something he considers particularly important.

The striker's first Liverpool season was also disrupted by injuries, preventing him from finding sustained rhythm.

That has changed at the beginning of the new campaign.

Isak has scored four goals in his opening five Premier League appearances, already surpassing his league total from last season.

“I feel good, and I feel good physically,” he said. “I’ve been healthy for a while now and have found some consistency.”

For Isak, maintaining that fitness is now the foundation for showing Liverpool supporters his best football after a challenging first year at Anfield.

Isak will now look to maintain the fitness and consistency that were missing during much of his debut Liverpool campaign.

With four league goals already this season, the striker has made an encouraging start as he attempts to establish himself firmly as Liverpool's first-choice centre-forward.