“Millions of reasons why I wanted to come back,” Jota

In partnership with

The Celtic Star

·22 de abril de 2025

“Millions of reasons why I wanted to come back,” Jota

“There’s been millions of reasons why I wanted to come back to this club. To win titles is one of them but even just the happiness of playing games and enjoying every moment, I’ll always be grateful and mindful about it,” Jota…

Jota. St Johnstone v Celtic, Scottish Cup semi-final at Hampden Park on Sunday 20 April 2025. Photo by Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star)

Jota and Nicolas Khun were benched after McDiarmid Park defeat

Both Jota and Nicolas Kuhn paid the price for Celtic’s recent setback at Perth by being dropped to the bench for the last two matches against Kilmarnock in the Scottish Premiership and a revenge mission against St Johnstone on Easter Sunday at Hampden Park.

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The two wingers have been coming on for half an hour which is allowing James Forrest and Adam Idah an hour of game-time and Daizen Maeda an hour on the wing and a half hour through the middle. It certainly seems to be working just fine for Brendan Rodgers, sticking with the ‘if it ain’t broke don’t fix it’ philosophy as he sent out an unchanged team in the Scottish Cup semi-final.

Jota. St Johnstone v Celtic, Scottish Cup semi-final at Hampden Park on Sunday 20 April 2025. Photo by Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star)

Both wingers looking to re-establish themselves as first team starters

Both Kuhn and Jota will be looking at re-establishing themselves in the starting XI as quickly as they possibly can in the six games that are remaining before we all sign off on another fabulous season for the finest team in Scotland.

Of the two benched wingers Jota clearly made the most impact when he came on, getting on the end of a dangerous cross fromAlistair Johnston to score the only goal that stood in the second half. Jota’s finish was sensational, really impressive although it will have been harder for the man that matter – Brendan Rodgers – to appreciate given his angle. For us in the North stand it was clearly some finish.

After the dust had settled on another brilliant Celtic afternoon at Hampden, Jota, speaking to Celtic TV spoke about his goal and the millions of reasons why he wanted to Celtic.

“Credit to Ali because he put in an unbelievable ball”

“It’s something we work a lot on, the second post finishing, and I’m always ready for any cross that comes from the opposite side, and credit to Ali because he put in an unbelievable ball and I was there to finish. We knew exactly what the assignment was and we did very well in the first-half by taking our chances, and then everything started to happen so quickly.

“Then it was just a matter of keep on pushing and any opportunity and go against them, we will take it, and in the end we had a few more chances and luckily I had my opportunity. A player must be ready to play on any pitch regardless of whether the stadium is different or the grass is different, so I always try to be on my best capacity to perform and this was no different, so I will always be ready.

“There are millions of reasons for me to want to come back to this club”

“There are millions of reasons for me to want to come back to this club. Obviously, to win titles in one of them but just the happiness of playing games and enjoying every moment, I’ll always be grateful and mindful about it.”

Jota celebrates with a young supporter. St Johnstone v Celtic, Scottish Cup semi-final at Hampden Park on Sunday 20 April 2025. Photo by Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star)

Celtic clearly Jota’s perfect club

Jota is clearly at the perfect club for him, as he himself now knows. Nicolas Kuhn on the other hand has perhaps had his head turned and may be thinking of a big move in the summer. If that’s what he wants and it’s in the pipeline that that’s all fine and dandy but don’t risk it by failing to show up every time you’re called upon. Until deals are signed there can be second thoughts.

Here’s Jota speaking to Celtic TV…

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