Jota marked his first goal back at Celtic Park in style on Saturday, scoring in the 3-0 win over Dundee United and soaking in the moment with a perfectly executed knee slide in front of the home crowd.
The Portuguese winger, who rejoined Celtic in January after a difficult spell away in Saudi Arabia and France, reminded everyone exactly why fans fell in love with him the first time around. His brilliantly taken goal was a sign of his sharpness returning, and his celebration only added to the occasion.
A Moment to Savour
After finding the net with a superb strike, Jota sprinted towards the fans and delivered a flawless 10/10 knee slide, which quickly became a hit on social media. With his arms raised, he soaked in the atmosphere, enjoying every second of the moment he had waited so long for.
It was a reminder of his connection with the Celtic support, who never wanted to see him leave in the first place. After spending 18 months in the football wilderness, first in Saudi Arabia with Al-Ittihad and then a brief loan spell with Rennes in France, Jota is now fully focused on getting back to his best in the Hoops.
Sharpening Up at the Right Time
Jota’s return has been carefully managed by Brendan Rodgers, with the winger still working his way back to full match sharpness. But as Saturday’s performance showed, he is already starting to hit his stride, and his quality in the final third will be a massive asset for Celtic in the final run-in.
With a huge Champions League second leg against Bayern Munich coming up, Jota’s growing influence could be vital as Celtic look to cause an upset in Germany. His goal against Dundee United was just the latest sign that the Jota Celtic fans adored is well and truly back.
