JOTA MAKES CELTIC PARK RETURN AFTER KNEE INJURY

Jota returned to Celtic Park as a half-time substitute in Celtic’s 7-1 Scottish Premiership win over Hearts on Sunday. The Portuguese winger sustained cruciate ligament damage at Tannadice in April 2025 as Celtic clinched the title. He made his first-team return in Celtic’s 2-0 win at Motherwell the previous weekend. Jota said the long absence had changed how he valued playing football. “I've met some demons and I've had some good talks with them,” he said.

Jota had returned to Celtic after spells with Al-Ittihad and Rennes. Al-Ittihad exceeded its foreign-player quota soon after he joined, leaving him unable to play. His spell at Rennes proved frustrating, and he was rediscovering his form at Celtic before the injury. Jota, who previously played for Benfica, said his love of football kept him working towards fitness. “That was my fuel to keep on working every day, to be healthy and fit, even if things weren't going that way,” he said.

Jota is absent from Celtic’s Europa League squad, leaving domestic matches as his playing opportunities for now. Celta Vigo are due to visit Glasgow on Thursday for a Europa League match. Jota said he wanted to regain full match fitness without rushing his return. “So there's no rush, let's do everything correctly and just trust the process,” he said. He said the time away had allowed him to see different perspectives and had made him stronger.