Stade Rennais’ Jota has told Ouest-France that he’s delighted to have to played for Celtic.
The winger initially joined Celtic on a loan deal from Benfica in September 2021, when Brendan Rodgers’ predecessor, Ange Postecoglou, was in charge. They made his stay permanent the following year.
Jota made 83 appearances in all competitions for Celtic, scoring 28 goals and registering 26 assists in the process. He won the title and the Scottish League Cup twice and the Scottish Cup once in 2023.
The 25-year-old left the Scottish club for Al-Ittihad for €30m in July 2023. He returned to Europe a year later when the Ligue 1 side signed him on summer deadline day.
Jota gave an interview to the French newspaper, who have dedicated a section on his time at Celtic. The Portuguese went on to explain why his overall experience in Glasgow, under Postecoglou’s orders, is still special for him.
“It’s difficult to explain in words,” Jota explained.
“You had to be in Glasgow at that moment to feel it: playing at Celtic Park, feeling the love of the fans, having the chance to be coached by an incredible coach [Postecoglou] in a group where everything turned out well… You have to thank everyone for what happened there.
“I hope one day to be able to show my children what it was like, all the love I received. I’ll remember it for the rest of my life.”
The attacker was popular among the Celtic supporters, who even came up with a chant, ‘Jota on the wing’. He was clearly pleased by the love and affection shown by the fans in Scotland.
“It touched me because I didn’t expect it. When they started singing it, it was a very special moment,” he added.
