Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers has addressed questions over Jota’s fitness after previously stressing that patience was needed in the Portuguese winger’s return to the club.
Having struggled for game time in Saudi Arabia and France over the last 18 months, Jota is working his way back to full match sharpness.
Celtic’s superstar from Portugal was on the bench against Bayern Munich on Wednesday, replacing Adam Idah in the second half. With Daizen Maeda’s suspension reduced to one game, it meant Jota dropped out of the starting lineup.
After the Hoops winger looked promising off the bench against Vincent Kompany’s side, Celtic supporters have questioned whether Rodgers will start him against Bayern at the Allianz on Tuesday.
With a goal this afternoon, Jota has further added pressure on Rodgers to start him. As he continues to build up his minutes—playing 65 this afternoon—he looks to have a real chance to start in Munich.
Rodgers also addressed Jota’s current fitness after the game this afternoon.
When asked ‘How close is he to being at his peak?’
Rodgers said: (Sky Sports), “I think he’s definitely getting there. You see the goal he scored—he’s a big talent and it was a great finish.
“So, it’s just time and work. He’s working very hard on the training field.
“We’re staggering his game time to get him up to match fitness, but there’s no doubt he can contribute.”
A coy answer from Rodgers on whether he believes Jota is ready to start on Tuesday. The Portuguese winger has looked close to his 2023 Hoops best, with a sensational goal this afternoon.
Despite struggling for game time since his Celtic exit, a return to Glasgow has reignited his sharpness and desire to contribute to goals.
Jota has hardly put a foot wrong since his return, both off the bench and in starts. Daizen Maeda looks just as effective on either wing or up top, meaning Jota is arguably the best choice to start on the left.
However, with Adam Idah also finding the net this afternoon, Rodgers faces a tough decision on which front three to start in Munich. With both Idah and Jota scoring today, it could have a significant impact on Rodgers’ team selection for Tuesday.
