Celtic winger Jota has returned to Portugal as he begins the long road to recovery following a serious knee injury sustained during the Hoops’ 5-0 title-clinching win over Dundee United, Celtsarehere understands.
The Portuguese attacker was forced off in the first half at Tannadice and was later seen leaving the stadium on crutches, wearing a knee brace. Subsequent scans confirmed a cruciate ligament rupture, with manager Brendan Rodgers later confirming the extent of the damage.
“Sadly for us and for him, he’ll be out for a period of time, probably six to nine months,” Rodgers told Celtsarehere and the gathered media a few weeks ago. “It’s the cruciate and it was worse than we had hoped.”
The setback comes just months after Jota returned to Parkhead in January following a short spell in Saudi Arabia with Al-Ittihad and a subsequent move to Rennes. His £8 million transfer back to Celtic was seen as a major coup, and he wasted little time reminding fans of his talent, scoring five goals in 16. You had the sense he was still working his way back to his best when the injury struck.
CeltsAreHere understands Jota has now moved back to Portugal to begin the initial stages of his rehabilitation with the club’s blessing. It’s a crucial period for the winger, who is facing an extended spell on the sidelines with a potential return not expected before February 2026.
Despite the blow, Jota remains positive. In a message to supporters on social media, he admitted the injury had been “pretty sh***y” but stressed the importance of using the downtime for personal growth and reflection. “This is my halftime,” he wrote, likening the experience to a pause before coming back stronger for the second half of his footballing journey.
As things stand, we understand Jota will continue his recovery in his homeland for the foreseeable future. However, he is expected to make a return to Glasgow to be in attendance for trophy day at Celtic Park.
After the cup final the whole team will break up for the summer before getting prepared for a new season in August. Jota will likely dip in and out of seeing his teammates until he’s ready to get going.
