Notorious road where tragic Diogo Jota died in crash is accident blackspot riddled with deep potholes and 75mph bends

Motorists have repeatedly warned about the perils of the highway that claimed Jota’s life

THE road Diogo Jota was killed on is “very dangerous” and notorious for accidents, according to local officials and drivers.

A single tyre mark can be seen where Jota’s Lamborghini came off the A-52 dual carriageway 

Rute Cardoso and Diogo Jota got married on June 22

Evil high-speed bends and deep potholes have spelled disaster for many motorists – with just-married Jota and his brother André, 25 its latest tragic victims.

Liverpool star Jota, 28, was killed late on Wednesday night when a tyre on his Lamborghini blew out and the car hurtled off the road, catching fire.

The brothers were travelling through Zamora, Spain on the A-52 towards Santander, where they were to catch a ferry to the UK.

A chorus of officials and local drivers have now spoken out to warn about the perils of that particular high-speed dual carriageway.

Angel Blanco, a central government representative for the province of Zamora,  described the A-52 as “very dangerous”.

Wreckage from the tragic crash
Sources from Cernadilla town hall, close to where Diogo crashed, were quoted by local press as saying: “As [the A-52] passes through Cernadilla it is full of bends at 120 kilometres per hour.

“Poor visibility at night tend is often the cause of accidents in these areas.

“Today it was two famous footballers, who had a great career ahead of them, but perhaps tomorrow the victims will be two more anonymous people.”

The A-52 is the most dangerous road in the region, according to most recent annual accident report.

There were more crashes along the route than any other nearby road, with a total of 19 in 2023, El Dia de Zamora reported.

And the accidents are often fatal – with an average of 1.5 deaths per incident.

Many of the crashes happen under good conditions – meaning a dry surface, good visibility and low traffic – suggesting the road itself poses danger.

Drivers must contend with various obstacles along the stretch – including animals.

The area where Jota’s Lamborghini Huracan flew off the tarmac is a black-spot for wolves.

That region of Zamora is described as a “paradise” for the Ibernian wolf – and car collisions with the predators are not uncommon.

Deer are also common, and easy access to the for the animals poses a huge risk to drivers, according to Spanish newspaper La Razón.
Jota pictured (right) with his wife and brother André 
A tribute laid to the winger and forward at Anfield stadium
Complaints have been lodged about the poor safety conditions of the road to various organisations.

In recent years, reports were filed to motorists’ organisation AEA Club drawing attention to the treacherous potholes which “riddled” the roadsurface.

One said: “The A-52 highway […] is in poor condition with constant potholes, some of which are very dangerous,” adding that the issue applied to the road in both directions.

There were more than 40 official pothole complaints made to Spain’s transport ministry in a single month last year, according to local site La Opinión de Zamora.

One family published a photo of a tyre that had been completely shredded by one of the hazards.

A burst tyre is thought to be behind Jota’s crash – though it isn’t known what caused it.

Photos from the scene show a single black tyre mark streaking into the verge.

A separate 2018 complaint said a lack of signage almost caused a driver to crash because it failed to alert them an imminent lane ending.

The driver wrote: “A-52 is a state-of-the-art motorway and doesn’t deserve this safety flaw. Do a few cans of paint cost that much?”

Jota was due to catch a ferry this morning after being advised not to take a plane due to a recent lung surgery, according to CNN Portugal.

The Portuguese ace had missed several matches last season after suffering a rib injury in October during a match against Chelsea.

Jota was due to return to Liverpool to take part in the club’s pre season games which start later this month.

Emergency crews rushed to the crash site in the early hours of the morning and managed to put out the flames.

Both brothers were tragically pronounced dead at the scene, according to the Zamora Provincial Council.

The funerals will be held in their home town of Gondomar near the Portuguese city of Porto at 10am on Saturday.

Local priest Jose Manuel Macedo initially announced the ceremonies would take place at 4pm on Friday before confirming they had been put back to Saturday morning.

Father Macedo said a wake would take place at Sao Cosme Chapel before the funeral mass on Saturday morning at the Catholic church next door – the Igreja Matriz de Gondomar.

Diogo Jota began his footballing career at a club in Gondomar and is also thought to have met his wife there.

It is not yet clear whether the men’s family will request privacy or make it a more public affair.

In Portugal, wakes are usually held before the funeral service.

Portugal’s president Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa is understood to be attending Diego and Andre’s wake.

Tributes have been flooding in since the horrific news, including from Jota’s Portugal teammate Cristiano Ronaldo and former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp.

Manager Arne Slot has penned his own heartfelt tribute for the Portuguese footballer, saying he was “loved by all”.

He went on to praise Jota’s humble nature, never seeking popularity but finding it, and befriending everyone as someone who made others feel good about themselves.

The Dutchman also highlighted the late attacker’s hard work, desire, commitment, great quality, and goals as a player.

He then revealed his final conversation with Jota was to congratulate him for Portugal’s victory in the Uefa Nations League and wishing him luck for his wedding.

The Portuguese national football team have said they are “devastated” by Jota’s death.

They added that he “was not only a fantastic player with almost 50 caps for the national team, but also an extraordinary person who was respected by all his teammates and opponents”.

Jota had got married just 10 days ago to his longterm partner Rute Cardoso and the couple have three children, Dinis, Duarte, and a daughter who was born in 2024.

The couple shared pictures of themselves in front of the altar with their kids on their big day.

In the caption, they said: “June 22, 2025. Yes to forever.”

The Instagram post received over 190,000 likes and over 1,000 comments.

And it included love heart emojis from fellow Liverpool striker Darwin Nunez and Natalia Becker, wife of goalkeeper Alisson.

The Premier League described Jota – who won the competition for the first time earlier this year – as a “champion who will be forever missed”.