Jota’s trusting in Celtic soul power to deliver Treble
CELTIC star Jota has described the freshly crowned Scottish champions as a club with “a lot of soul” ahead of Saturday’s Scottish Cup Final against Inverness CT at Hampden Park.
The 24-year-old Portuguese winger is looking to help the Bhoys to a domestic Treble against the Championship side, after taking the Premiership title for the second year in a row, and beating Old Firm rivals Rangers in the Scottish League Cup
Final.
Jota, who signed from Benfica on a five-year deal last season after a loan spell at the Parkhead club, has become a fans’ favourite.
He said: “This is such a big club with such a lot of soul.
“I see clubs with soul and know that is what I want for my life and my career.
“We are probably one of the best clubs in the world in terms of passion, in terms of soul – and our fans speak for themselves.
“Every time I step out at Celtic Park or at an away game I feel the extra push from the fans. It is just an amazing feeling that not a lot of athletes can have. I just want to get the best from it.”
Jota, who scored the only goal of the game against Rangers in the semi-final at Hampden Park to take his tally to 14 for the season all told, is “very excited” about Saturday’s game, for which Celtic are overwhelming favourites to beat the Highland club.
He added: “We wanted to win the title and be in the two cup finals. One final is done so another one to go – and we go strong, again.”
Inverness skipper Sean Welsh, above, 33, will be looking for “a miracle” in what will surely be the biggest game of his career.
“It ranks at the very top for me,” said the midfielder. “It’s not often you get to play an occasion like this – especially at my age, getting to the latter stages of my career.
“We’ve got to believe. I’ve said that to the lads all this week. We’ve got to believe that we can pull off a miracle.”