Jota - Welcome Home!

It was a cruel twist in Jota’s fairytale return to Celtic that just as he was approaching full fitness, he suffered a jar to his knee on the Tannadice turf, and with it a cruciate ligament injury that has ruled him out of action until November at the very least.

Having come back to the city, the club and the fans that he has come to love, the Portuguese winger subsequently had to go back to his homeland to slowly work his way to fitness once more.


He is keeping in touch with all things Celtic though, and in particular his teammates, with compatriot Paulo Bernardo revealing that his friend’s rehabilitation is on schedule.

“Yes, [I speak to him] sometimes,” Bernardo said.

“He's now in Portugal on rehab. I'll probably be with him after the game [on Saturday].


“I spoke to him [on Wednesday] and he seemed okay. He had his operation very well and now he's doing rehab. I think he's okay. I'll see him next week.

“He was determined to come back here in January very strong. He told me that he wasn't very fit at the time because of the game time he had before. But I think he shows everyone that he can come back and show his football again.


He scored goals, made assists and played important games. He had a great response to that. I think in his mind, he's very strong.

“He said to me that the surgery went well. He's obviously a great player. Fans love him.

“I never played a lot with him [when we were younger]. I had a pre-season with him in Benfica. Of course, he joined Benfica very young too. So, I always met him sometimes in the campus. Maybe some trainings.

“But he's really a great guy. I was already a friend of him in Benfica and his coming back here was good for me too.”