Luis Palma has opened up on the collapse of his Celtic career, admitting it is “hard to talk about” after sealing a loan move to Polish side Lech Poznan.
The Honduran winger arrived from Aris Thessaloniki last summer and made an immediate impact, scoring 12 goals and providing 13 assists in his debut season. Palma’s highlight came in October when he scored against Atletico Madrid in the Champions League — a moment he describes as the peak of his career.
But after injuries derailed his second season, Palma quickly slipped out of Brendan Rodgers’ plans, leading to his departure on deadline day.
Speaking to The Celtic Way, he reflected on the highs and lows of his time in Glasgow.
“My first season at Celtic, that was nice. Everything seemed to go well in that first campaign,” Palma said. “I scored 12 goals and had 13 assists. It was a very special season because it was my first year abroad and I enjoyed it a lot.
“That goal against Atletico Madrid in the Champions League came when I felt I was at the peak of my career. It was the first goal of my life in the Champions League, and it was very, very special. Scoring it for a club like Celtic, in front of 60,000 supporters, was a dream come true.
“The second season is hard for me to talk about because that’s when things started to go sour. I got injuries at Celtic, and it cost me a lot. Despite the setbacks, I always stayed focused. I trained every day and worked hard to be ready if the manager needed me.
“I made the difficult decision to leave Celtic because I wanted to go out on loan and play regular first-team football.”
Palma now hopes to revive his career in Poland after the frustration of a player who went from Champions League hero to outcast in little more than a year at Celtic Park.
There’s no buy option included in the winger’s contract in Poland, so he will return to Glasgow next summer. A new manager at Celtic next season might give him another chance, but he’ll need to put in some stellar performances this season to catch the attention.
And that’s if Brendan Rodgers doesn’t sign a new deal at Celtic.
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