Jota returns for Celtic after almost 18 months out injured

Jota returned to action for Celtic after almost 18 months out injured, coming off the bench during Sunday’s 2-0 victory at Motherwell. BBC Sport reported that the Portuguese winger entered in the 74th minute at Fir Park and almost set up a goal with his first touches, before leading the celebrations after the final whistle.

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The 27-year-old told Sky Sports he was happy to be back after a long period of work towards his return. He credited help from those around him and said he had felt nervous before stepping onto the pitch, but that the appearance had gone well. He also said he felt good and wanted to increase his involvement to help the team.

Jota described the emotional difficulty of being unable to play during his lengthy absence, making clear how much the comeback meant to him. His return added another significant development to a day on which Celtic ended a run of three consecutive defeats. The BBC report did not specify a timetable for him to return to the starting line-up.

Celtic took the lead through Camilo Duran early in the match, with Benjamin Nygren adding the second goal after the interval. The result put Martin O’Neill’s side back on top of the Scottish Premiership. It also gave them a winning start after the international break, following a difficult sequence in which two of their three defeats had come against Rangers.

O’Neill had questioned whether he had the energy to remain as manager after Rangers won at Parkhead last month, before deciding to continue. Speaking after the Motherwell victory, he acknowledged that Celtic had contributed to the criticism surrounding the club through their results. He said the team had needed to accept that criticism after losing three games in a week.

The win and Jota’s appearance therefore marked two separate steps forward for Celtic: an immediate recovery in league results and the return of a winger who had been unavailable for nearly a year and a half. For Jota, the next stated aim is more playing time, following a substitute appearance that ended with him celebrating alongside his team-mates.