Jota’s return to Celtic was met with acclaim by virtually every single Hoops supporter.
The loss of Celtic icon Kyogo to Rennes could have hit hard in February, but the Portuguese winger’s Parkhead return to Paradise softened what could have been a hammer blow.
Jota featured just 25 times for Al-Ittihad in 18 months and then just times for Rennes before returning to Celtic this year so his fitness and confidence would have taken a serious hit.
Speaking about his countryman, Paulo Bernardo has shared how his Celtic teammate is now feeling behind the scenes just two months after returning to the club.
Jota ‘feels much better now’ at Celtic
Bernardo told the Daily Record [print edition page 50], “Jota has already shown a lot of quality during these games. I spoke to him and he feels much better now than he was when he arrived.
“I think he’s really important to the squad. At his age, I think there is more to come from him and he came here to show that too.
“He wants to show his quality and he is doing really well at the moment. He’s working hard at Lennoxtown every day. I think the best will come from him.”
Paulo Bernardo explains why he’s in awe of Jota’s Celtic ‘mentality’
As previously said, Jota’s confidence would have been hammered after being snubbed at his previous two clubs but returning to a place where he was worshipped by the Celtic support has taken guts, according to Bernardo.
Bernardo continued: “He goes one-on-one with defenders. For them it’s hard to know when he goes or when he stays with the ball.
“It’s difficult to know. Jota likes the pressure and he likes to take risks, to go at defenders and to see where he can go.
He has a strong mentality too, because it’s not easy to come back to a place that he was so good at.
“You risk it to come back and to see if he can do better. He shows a strong mentality to come back and to see what he can do.”
Jota has been in great form this season for Celtic, adding five goals and three assists since he returned home from France.
On a five-and-a-half year deal, Celtic fans will be hoping that the Portuguese winger will stay at Celtic long-term after now realising that the grass is not greener at other clubs across the globe.
With at least another treble up for grabs, Jota has the chance to add another two winners medals to his already growing number of domestic honours at Celtic and with 60,000 fans showing him love every second week, the 26-year-old knows that at Parkhead, he has a home.
