“Jota, for me, raises the bar,” Michael Stewart praises Celtic’s X-factor signing | OneFootball

Michael Stewart has praised Celtic for bringing Jota back to the club for a second spell and has admitted that he brings that something special that the Hoops might have just been missing under Brendan Rodgers this time around…

Jota acknowledges the fans as he arrives at the stadium prior to the Scottish Premiership match between Celtic and Dundee at Celtic Park on February 05, 2025. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

The Superstar from Portugal

The Superstar from Portugal made a stunning return to the Scottish side in the January transfer window from Rennes and has got off the mark straight away.

Jota celebrates his first goal after rejoining Celtic, Motherwell v Celtic, 2nd February 2025. Photo by Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star)

Coming on against Motherwell at Fir Park last Sunday, Jota was finding his feet once again and showed some lovely bits and pieces. However, the man who has been in the footballing wilderness for 18 months since leaving Parkhead managed to make a fairtyale comeback reality, when he got on the scoresheet late into the match to seal the three points for his team, marking a tremendous day for both him and the club.

READ THIS…Sandman’s Definitive Ratings – Celtic v Do-Wa-Diddy-Dundee

Daizen Maeda celebrates scoring the third goal with teammate Jota during the Scottish Premiership match between Celtic and Dundee at Celtic Park on February 05, 2025. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

Stewart was on the Scottish Football Social Club podcast and said to Darrell Currie and Alan Hutton: “Absolutely. You know, he came on in the first few minutes he was over on the right-hand side. And he was just feeling his way into the game. But I think it’s quite telling that when he goes over on the left, literally, every time he picked the ball up he was making something happen. He drove at the heart of the Motherwell team. He took on three or four players.

Michael Stewart commenting on BBC Scotland last night on Celtic’s performance against Dundee in the 6-0 win.

“Then he’s picked it up, dropped the shoulder, step-over, hitting the by-line, putting the ball in the box. Cuts inside another time and has a shot on goal. And it brings up the bigger sort of talking point about where does he fit in the team? Because for me, and I’ve said this, god knows how many times this season, Jota for me, raises the bar. He’s a game-changer. And especially in European-level, where ok, when he was there before, some of his performances didn’t elevate the team.

READ THIS…“He’s a class act, how he takes the ball. He has a lovely arrogance with the ball,” Brendan Rodgers

Jota embraces Brendan Rodgers, following substitution during the match between Celtic and Dundee at Celtic Park on February 05, 2025. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

Jota has an X-factor

“But I do genuinely believe that Jota in this team, he has an X-factor that’s probably been missing slightly. But he’s best off the left. He’s very good on the right. But he’s best off the left. And that’s where Maeda’s best as well. So, there’s a wee interesting problem for Brendan Rodgers to try and figure out there. One that I’m sure he’s quite happy to have.”

It didn’t look too much of a problem last night!

Paul Gillespie

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