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EPL Vitor Matos is putting his Liverpool principles into practice at Maritimo Valter Gouveia/Nur Photo via Getty Images Vitor Matos was about to take his first training session as a head coach when he got the news. It was July 3, the day an exciting new chapter in Matos’ life started with Portuguese second-division side Maritimo, but one he will now always associate with the tragic death of Diogo Jota in a car crash. Advertisement The Portuguese were close friends and formed a tight connection during their time together at Liverpool — one as a reliable and likeable striker and the other an elite development coach who worked closely with manager Jurgen Klopp and his assistant Pep Lijnders. “I found out five minutes before going onto the pitch on my first day with the team, ” Matos tells The Athletic. “I still don’t remember how it was a session, but that wasn’t the most important thing at the time. It was all about Diogo, an unbelievable personality and friend. ” It’s hard for those who knew Jota and his family to talk openly when the pain is still so raw, four months on. Matos pauses and clears his throat for a moment as the focus shifts to his new project in Madeira, the island which is geographically closer to Morocco than Portugal, where he’s enjoying life as a manager. Maritimo, relegated from the Primeira Liga in 2023 after 38 years, are third in the table after 10 games and supporters feel this could be the start of something special. Matos is not the type to promise big things or set bold targets, especially as he is still finding his feet. Instead, he believes passionately in his approach to building a tactical culture and strong identity. “I want to create a feeling where every supporter is excited about the next game. I want them to be already thinking about the next game when they leave our stadium and be waiting for that moment. ” Maritimo’s strong, loyal fanbase already feels connected. The Estadio de Maritimo, located in Funchal, averages around 5, 500 supporters per game and those inside are known for their passion and high expectations. Matos recognises the challenge of lifting a club that finished 12th last season but is winning over the locals with his attacking football, tactical clarity and engaging presence in press conferences and interviews. Advertisement There are a couple of key principles around his playing style, highlighted by statistics that show Maritimo are the team with the lowest passes allowed per defensive action (6. 49) in the division.  He wants his team to be as dominant as possible and disorganise the opposition, to counter-press aggressively when out of possession and to play each game like it is a final. If that sounds familiar to Liverpool supporters then it’s hardly a surprise. Between 2019 and 2024, Matos built many special connections and describes every day with Klopp and a first team packed with superstars as a “masterclass”. His daughter Julietta was also born on Merseyside, and son, Vicente,  left with a Scouse accent. “Being at Liverpool was more than a dream because I never thought that it would be even possible to happen, ” he says. “I felt a special feeling from the first minute. The city breathes the club and the club breathes the city. ” Matos was recommended to Liverpool by Lijnders, who discovered his coaching talent at Porto, where he was the assistant for the B team. His role at Liverpool was to create a connection between the first team and the academy while also helping with training sessions and game planning for the senior and under-23 sides. Memories of winning the Premier League in his first season and celebrating at Formby Hall without supporters due to the Covid-19 pandemic remain as clear as ever. So, too, do the ups and downs of the 2021-22 season, where Liverpool were targeting a historic quadruple after beating Chelsea in both the League Cup and FA Cup finals on penalties, only to miss out in agonising fashion in the Premier League to Manchester City and the Champions League to Real Madrid. But it was what followed that meant the most to Matos. “We came back to the city and the parade was insane, ” he recalls. “That’s what makes the club so special because there is always something to rebuild from. It’s those moments that show what the club and the supporters are about. ” Advertisement For all the trophies — and there were many — it was also the season where Liverpool ended up empty-handed that sparked the biggest celebration. As an unprecedented defensive injury crisis derailed the title defence in 2020-21, Klopp was forced to field 20 different centre-back pairings in the absence of Virgil van Dijk, Joe Gomez and Joel Matip. Liverpool eventually made up for a rotten run of form by winning eight of the last 10 games to sneak into the top four on the final day, vital given the impact Covid had taken on revenues. “Sometimes the most important moments are created when you’re struggling, ” Matos says. “We needed Alisson to score with that late header (in a 2-1 win away at West Brom) and when that season finished, we celebrated a lot because finishing third felt like winning the Premier League. ” Matos feels blessed that he was able to spend so many years of his career learning at Liverpool. He felt a part of the family, living in Formby with his wife and kids, close to Klopp and Lijnders and with some of the players nearby. “We always had characters who made the team so strong. Alisson was calm when everything was on fire. Virgil, Adam Lallana, Jordan (Henderson), James Milner were so important. Then you have someone like Mo Salah, who is outstanding and so strong. His story is unique, to come from Egypt and be the king of the Premier League. If there’s anyone who can (rediscover his best form) then it is him. ” Matos left Anfield at the same time as Klopp and joined Lijnders as his assistant during a short and unsuccessful period at Red Bull Salzburg. He says the pair are still in contact and have a strong relationship but that the time was right to move separate ways. “Sometimes things are not meant to work and when that’s the case, you don’t need to force it. ” All those years of working closely with Klopp are also helping him in his new role. “Jurgen had a special way of creating a positive feeling. He could always find a way to rebuild and come back stronger. I’ve started thinking about him more lately and it makes me realise that I’m so far away from being someone like that! He’s special. ” Advertisement At 37, Matos is just beginning his managerial journey and says his aims for the future are to stay passionate about work. It was Jose Mourinho who initially inspired him to dream about a future in coaching when he won the Champions League with Porto in 2004. With Mourinho back in his homeland and managing Benfica, Matos laughs when asked what it would be like to face him, potentially next year if a top-two finish and surprise promotion is achieved. “That would be nice, ” he adds, although he is quick to point out that Maritimo are not looking too far ahead, given the disparity in budgets with bigger rivals. Matos likes the underdog tag, though, and believes it helps retain focus. His team are on the same points as second-placed, Torreense, and just two points off Sporting’s B-team, who lead the way. Maritimo have conceded the fewest shots (93) and have the second highest ball possession figures (55. 6 per cent) which shows Matos’ methods are working. The challenges are different to Liverpool and Salzburg, where one big contract can set a player up for life. At Maritimo, each player is fighting for their career, the youngsters motivated to earn a bigger and more lucrative move in the future, and the older generation already keeping one eye on retirement. All players are encouraged to take their coaching badges with the Madeira Football Association and are supported by the club if they’re interested. “One of the biggest parts of the job is managing 25 different characters and personalities but I’m ready for that, ” he says. “I don’t see it as a pressure to deliver. It’s an opportunity to build something special and for as long as I’m in this job, I will try to be enjoying it at the same time. ” Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms Play today's puzzle Gregg Evans is a Staff Writer for The Athletic covering Liverpool. Previously he reported on Aston Villa and spent over a decade at the Birmingham Mail covering West Midlands football. His time with Villa included the drop into the Championship and then an incredible return to European football. He also covers golf. Follow Gregg on Twitter @greggevans40