Jota has been one of Ange Postecoglou’s best signings over the last two seasons. Promising creative and attacking football, the Celtic manager needed players that were capable of providing that. And in signing the Portuguese winger, he got a player that can provide those pieces of magic when it is required.
And hasn’t he just. Already this season, Jota has given us two iconic moments in Glasgow Derbies. The most recent was the simple, but brilliant, celebration in front of the Rangers fans after scoring the opener at Hampden in the Scottish Cup semi-final.
The other? Well, the Goal of the Season against Rangers was just sheer brilliance.
You don’t need me to describe it but what we do have is Jota telling us how the late Portuguese legend Fernando Chalana inspired that moment of class.
Jota said [The Herald], “He was definitely someone who believed in me, even when I didn’t believe in myself.
“That says a lot of such a quality player because he saw something [in me] and I just stick with his ideas.
“Like, he said to me, ‘son, just be different from everyone else because football is becoming something really not interesting, and the ones who are going to thrive and to be better are the ones who do different stuff and can solve problems when no-one can solve them’.
“So, I just stick with those ideas. Inside the philosophy of the game, of course. And I try to express myself in the best way possible.
“There are always periods during the season that you need to find this creativity and he was someone that shone every time he went on to the pitch doing whatever he was doing because he was just a special player.
“When they showed me his videos, I saw for each time he was already doing some incredible stuff that no-one else was doing.
“This says a lot about what he was as a football player and, on my side, I just try to do my thing and I just want to express myself in the best way possible.
“That’s what I try to do, and I think he will always be proud of that. That is the first point.
“After that, like with the trophies and the success, of course he’s definitely proud and, yeah, I just want to keep on doing my people, my family, my friends proud and these people that have inspired me all over the years.”
Chalana was involved in Benfica for pretty much most of his footballing life. As a player, he had two spells at the club that spanned over 11 years. During his time he won six league titles and three Portuguese Cups.
But it was as a coach at the club that Chalana had the most influence over Jota. He was the assistant manager at Benfica when Jota joined their juniors in 2007 and it is clear from Jota’s tribute that the Chalana had a significant impact over his career and development from an early age.
Unfortunately, Chalana passed away last August and the wristband the Celtic winger wears is a special tribute to his former coach and friend.
In other news, Celtic Park is ranked as one of Europe’s best for atmosphere
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