Luis Palma has expressed his delight at Celtic fans for creating a song dedicated to him, expressing gratitude for the warm reception and support he has received from Hoops supporters.
Palma, who scored against Aberdeen on Sunday and provided three assists, continues to adapt well to Scottish football with consistent game time after joining Celtic in the summer from Aris Thessaloniki.
In eight Scottish Premiership appearances this season, Palma has been involved in nine goals, scoring four and assisting five. This shows that not only is he a goal threat, but he is also more than capable of assisting teammates from anywhere on the pitch, with Hyengou Oh’s first goal on Sunday being an example of the incredible vision he possesses.
Palma also displays impressive set-piece skills, as demonstrated when he stepped up to take a penalty against Aberdeen. This pivotal moment proved vital in concluding the match, ultimately propelling Celtic to score four late goals.
Palma said: [La Prensa], “I didn’t expect them to release a song for me. I thank the club’s fans, they are the best fans I have ever had in my clubs. I feel blessed, I hope to God I can continue.
“That’s what I work for, to be a starter at Celtic doing things well and to be attracting attention in a good way. Taking advantage of that and putting it into practice in the selection.”
Palma has quickly become a fan favourite in just three months at Celtic. His captivating style of play and headline-grabbing goal-scoring ability from outside the box have given Hoops supporters a clear glimpse of his abilities as a player. Despite Daizen Maeda playing off the left hand side for a significant portion of last season, Palma has made the left-wing position his own this season.
The Honduran international came to Celtic as somewhat of an unknown, with discussions surrounding his set-piece ability and technique. However, he has proven that he is not just a player who is dangerous from set pieces; instead, he constantly poses a threat to opposition defenders.
Palma continues to go from strength to strength, and Sunday showed that he is only just getting started at Celtic, which is a frightening prospect for the rest of Scotland. Palma is adding new facets to his game, such as the ability to cross into the box by hugging the touchline and winning the ball back quickly by pressing after being dispossessed.
Brendan Rodgers has undoubtedly played a part in Palma’s quick improvement as a player, but one unheralded hero in Palma’s success is Celtic first-team coach Harry Kewell, who Palma made a point of acknowledging after his wonder goal against Ross County on November 4th.
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