Jota is in line to feature in a closed-door bounce game against Falkirk at Lennoxtown on Friday, according to a report in The Herald cited by the Daily Record report on Jota’s comeback. It would be a real step forward in the Jota Celtic return, with the winger yet to play since he suffered an ACL injury at Tannadice in April last year.
Celtic have not confirmed the fixture through official channels. Even so, the idea of Jota back on a pitch, even in a behind-closed-doors game, will lift supporters after 18 months without him.
Bounce Game Details and Media Reports on Lennoxtown Outing
The Herald’s report, relayed by the Daily Record, says Jota has been pencilled in for the closed-door match with Falkirk at Lennoxtown this Friday. There is no broadcast or ticketed access planned. That fits how Celtic usually handle games like this.
Celtic have stayed quiet on the details. The club has not listed the fixture on its official channels. That is normal for a behind-closed-doors warm-up match, but it means the details rest on the original report rather than a club statement.
The timing fits with Jota’s long road back. He rejoined Celtic in January 2025 after spells at Al-Ittihad and Stade Rennes. He scored five goals before the injury at Tannadice ended his season in April last year.
O’Neill Timeline and Tactical Context for Celtic Winger
Manager Martin O’Neill had told supporters not to expect Jota back until around Halloween. That cautious timeline reflected the scale of his injury. A serious ACL injury usually needs a slow, careful return, not a rushed one.
Assistant manager Shaun Maloney has sounded more hopeful. He has said he hopes Jota can return before that original Halloween target. The gap between the two views shows how hard these calls are, even within the same coaching staff.
Jota’s return matters for Celtic’s attacking balance, a theme that has run through O’Neill’s recent tactical adjustments at Celtic Park this season. His pace down the flank was missed in the recent derby defeat at home. His return would give the side another route to goal once he is fit for selection.
Sheridan’s Patience Warning and What Happens Next for Jota
Former Celtic striker Cillian Sheridan, speaking on Clyde 1 Superscoreboard, urged fans to stay patient. “I just think patience is needed when he is coming back,” he said.
Sheridan pointed to Jota’s first spell adjusting to life at Celtic as a guide to what lies ahead. “There is so many different elements of why – he has the time before when he came back to Celtic, where he was kind of bedding himself in and getting back to that 100 per cent version of Jota,” he explained.
He also stressed the physical challenge of a long absence. “Then the time and the set-backs, there is so many factors. When you are out of football for more than four to six months where it takes you a while to get back up to speed,” Sheridan added.
Drawing on his own career, he described the frustration that often follows long injuries. “I have had it with injuries and the first time I have did it I have thought ‘what is the difference, I have done all my training work, I should be fine’; and you find yourself frustrated that you can’t get into the rhythm of games and the feeling of it,” he said.
That view doesn’t rule out encouragement from the Falkirk game, if it goes ahead as reported. A closed-door run-out would give Jota valuable minutes and a first real test of his sharpness after such a long lay-off. No date has been set for a first-team involvement. Celtic are expected to manage his workload carefully as the Jota Celtic return continues.
