Video: Jota’s reaction to Larsson’s famous chip goal against Rangers

Celtic TV have released footage of our superstar from Portugal, Jota reacting to Henrik Larsson’s famous chipped goal against Rangers way back in the August of 2000. Martin O’Neill and his men faced their toughest test so far under the Irishman’s reign as manager, playing a team that had starved them of success for the last decade or so.

O’Neill would lay down a marker during the first Old Firm game of the season at Celtic Park, and asserted the point that this new-look Celtic team for the new millennium would be an entirely different animal from those that had gone before. After demolishing Dick Advocaat and his side 6-2 in the end up, it’s safe to say that the softly spoken Irishman laid down a significant gauntlet in his debut derby match.

Long gone were the days when the team in green and white were the nearly men or even worse, just completely outdone on every front. This was a footballing side that would go on to blow the opposition away in the 2000-01 campaign, subsequently winning a domestic Treble. It was a sign that the Bhoys were back in town!

During that game, super Swede, Henrik Larsson scored arguably the greatest goal of his Celtic career and perhaps the best to have ever been scored in a derby match between Glasgow’s big two – past or present. After Chris Sutton laid the ball into the striker’s path, he strode forward with the ball before nutmegging Bert Konterman from behind, before chipping the ball over the onrushing Stefan Klos.

It was a goal for the ages and one right out of the top-drawer. Davie Provan described Larsson’s finish that day as world-class. A truer word couldn’t have been said, and Celtic’s winger Jota concurred with this very point when he was shown the classic lob from the Champions League winner. He said:

“Here we go, it’s the main man…oooh….ooooh!” He cooed. “I haven’t seen this. I know he did this before but I haven’t seen this. Oh wow. Oh man. The guy’s class isn’t he? Well done. Only top players can do this”

Watch the clip of Jota’s reaction to Henrik Larsson’s special goal…