Jota insists emotions were down to “difficult moments” in the last 18 months after netting on his homecoming for Celtic at Fir Park…

The 25 year-old fans favourite was a second-half substitute in Brendan Rodgers’ side 3-1 victory over the Steelmen in Lanarkshire on Sunday afternoon.
Jota scored in the dying embers of the game after the sensational Daizen Maeda laid it on a plate for the Portuguese winger who was in the right position to notch the ball past a helpless Ellery Balcombe in the Motherwell net.
🎙️ “Jota is back!”
🔥 The winger marks his return to Celtic with a late goal ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/6FZH7LNj1x
— Sky Sports Scotland (@ScotlandSky) February 2, 2025
Jota’s trademark celebration returned
Proceeding to do his trademark celebration in front of a jubilant away support, Jota then burst into tears as he made his way back to the halfway line.
Having only played a combined 26 games for Rennes and Al-Itthad since departing Celtic in the summer of 2023 for the riches in Saudi Arabia, Jota admitted to Sky Sports in his post-match interview that his emotions got the better of him.

Celtic’s ‘Superstar from Portugal’ said: “Definitely. Amazing, amazing feeling. I think I couldn’t have written it better. It’s just such a happy moment for me to come back and for the team to deliver as well and again to celebrate with these amazing fans because they deserve it.”
Jota’s emotional celebration
When asked about his emotional celebration, Jota explained: “Yeah, it has been some quite difficult moments, ups and downs and I just feel like I am back home, and I couldn’t be happier than this.
🗣️ “I couldn’t have written that better, it’s such a happy moment for me… I feel like I’m back home”
Celtic attackers Jota and Adam Idah speak after their win over Motherwell ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/op4OfdGL9k
— Sky Sports Scotland (@ScotlandSky) February 2, 2025
“Obviously, it has been a long time since I have been playing consecutively and I know it will take time to reach my best levels,” outlined Jota. “But with these amazing staff and team-mates I will work hard every day so I can achieve that as quick as possible.”
Dreadful reaction from Sky Sports pundits
Sky Sports pundits, Kris Boyd and former Celtic Aiden McGeady were dreadful in their reaction to Jota’s emotional outpouring after his goal opened the emotional floodgates. Both should have known much better through their own personal experiences.

Not once ounce of understanding from either of them while everyone at the game or Celtic supporters watching on television certainly got it. Boyd, with his big blue noses, revels in his anti-Celtic opinions but McGeady who actually compared himself to Jota, is kidding himself on with that one.
🔝 Celtic maintain their 10-point gap at the top of the Scottish Premiership with a 3-1 win at Fir Park 🍀 pic.twitter.com/if2mGGakol
— Sky Sports Scotland (@ScotlandSky) February 2, 2025
Sky Sports must be embarrassed that this pair read the room so badly yesterday, and McGeady’s own reputation has certainly not being improved through his punditry.
Conor Spence

McGeady was not on the same level as Jota who is a vastly superior and much more intelligent player than McGeady.
Neither Boyd nor McGeady have any compassion for the relief shown by Jota on arriving back ‘HOME’ as they have no real compassion or insight and simply pander to the press and mouth off at every turn without having any understanding outside their own little world. Both are equally quite pathetic in my opinion and cannot properly relate to the feelings of others with understanding.
Scotland must have the worst pundits in the World, we are a small country with a small league but the amount of so called ” pundits ” we have is staggering.
These clowns are anything but informed pundits and its embarrassing the garbage these ex players spew out, any body who ever kicked a ball for Celtic or Rangers seems to have a job with the sports media guaranteed if they want it.
Some of them can barely string a sentence together. It is embarrassing how thick some of them are, beyond me why people want to listen to them. The vast majority of them do not even know the rules of the game.
Mcgeady was the original headless chicken ffs , and Boyd looked like a turkey when he played he was stuffed
This isn’t about the money this is about guy who’s just glad to be back playing & being wanted, 18 month of hell , I don’t watch anything to do with Boyd & Mcgeady just a waiste of space.
Pair of tossers