ON TOP OF THE WORLD
Jota revels in his journey from obscurity to the brink of a place in Qatar after scoring on his return to action
FIT-AGAIN Jota last night insisted he is ready to star against Real Madrid as he aims to continue his remarkable journey from nowhere man to the brink of the World Cup finals.
Two years ago, the 23-year-old was a fringe player with Benfica before heading out on loan to Celtic in 2021.
His consistently fine form for the Scottish champions saw him named in the provisional Portuguese team for the World Cup in Qatar next month.
In his first appearance since picking up an injury against St Johnstone on October 8, he climbed off the bench yesterday to win a penalty and score Celtic’s third goal in an emphatic 3-0 win at Livingston. If he is pitched into the white heat of the Bernabeu in the Champions League dead rubber on Wednesday, he is ready to take the fight to the European champions on the big stage.
Asked about being named on Portugal’s World Cup list, Jota said: ‘That was a very good moment for me and for my family.
‘I’m just grateful for everything. Two years ago I was not even playing for any club. I was at a club, of course, but I wasn’t having many minutes.
‘Then, two years later, to be on this
55-man list is very good for me. But this is just another step. ‘I just need to keep working and enjoying it on the pitch, and everything will come naturally. I wake up every day with the mentality of being a better person and a better football player, and building a strong base to be better.’
Asked if he was ready to start against Real Madrid, he said: ‘That’s not a question for me. That’s a question for the gaffer. ‘If he is ready to put me in, I am ready to fight for him, for the team and for the club. So that is up to him.
‘In my opinion, every game is a good stage. You are always under evaluation from your coach, other teams, your previous teams, Celtic, everyone. ‘You just need to be ready and keep your levels up and try to be very consistent.’
Celtic only have two points from Group F courtesy of home and away 1-1 draws with Shakhtar Donetsk. Jota rejected the suggestion that Wednesday night in the Bernabeu is a chance for the team to show they truly belong at the top level. He insisted: ‘The quality has been there in every game. People who understand football can see that the guys are playing well. There are just some details we are not getting. ‘In the Champions League, you pay a very high price if you are not on it in every game.
‘I think there is always a determination in these games, but our aim for the rest of the season is to play every Premiership game as if it is a Champions League game.’ Jota was delighted to return to the team and to the scoresheet for the first time since his goal away to RB Leipzig in the Champions League earlier this month. ‘I was definitely happy,’ he said. ‘It was a very important moment for me coming back from injury but, most of all, it was about the victory for the team. ‘This was a game we knew was going to be very difficult, like every season, every time we come here, but I was very happy to get the win.
‘I think the reception I got when I came on shows what Celtic is all about, and the support we have every time we play, either at Celtic Park or away from home. ‘With that support, we have to show ourselves on the pitch and fight for them.’