BRENDAN RODGERS hinted fairly heavily that Filipe Jota would be occupying the left-wing role against Bayern Munich tomorrow night in the absence of the banned Daizen Maeda.
Joyously, the Celtic manager has now been forced into a somersault in his thinking with the on-fire Japanese raider, five goals in his last two games, 11 in the team’s previous 13 domestic outings and 21 for the current crusade, now available after the original harsh two-game suspension was halved following a successful appeal to UEFA.
It would be fair to say the challenge that provoked the red card he received five minutes from the end of the 1-0 win over Switzerland’s Young Boys fell neatly into the powderpuff category.
He served his punishment in the team’s 4-2 loss against Aston Villa in the Midlands where his running power on the left flank was a monumental miss. Yang Hyun-jun started the game before being replaced in the 73rd minute by the equally ineffective Luis Palma.
IT TAKES TWO…Filipe Jota and Daizen Maeda celebrate a Celtic goal.
No disrespect to either the South Korean or the Honduran, but neither was an adequate replacement for Maeda. A bit like substituting a racehorse with a Clydesdale and hoping to win the Grand National.
Maeda will now walk – if you can get your head around the impression of this bloke strolling anywhere – into the first team for the crucial Champions League confrontation with Harry Kane and Co.
Jota will have to be content with a place among the stand-by squad.
And I reckon Maeda has done the Portuguese personality a massive favour.
It is surely outwith the physical capabilities of anyone, unless you are from Krypton and have a penchant for wearing knickers outside your tights, to be ready for such an onerous task against the team that is running away with the Bundesliga.
Please remember, folks, Jota made a meagre 20 starts in his 18 months following his departure from these shores.
For whatever reason, the Hoops’ happy-go-lucky little box of tricks wasn’t a shoo-in at Saudia Arabian club Al-Ittihad after his record-equalling £25million exit.
Alas, it was the same script when he escaped the sand dunes of the Middle East for the slightly less colourful confines of industrial Rennes in the east of Brittany in Northwestern France.
DIDN’T HE DO WELL…Filipe Jota races away in triumph after his comeback strike in Celtic’s 3-1 win over Motherwell at Fir Park last month.
His cheery wee face obviously didn’t fit and he is back where he can once again adopt a smile and be appreciated by spectators who know a thing or two about flamboyant, colourful characters.
Or, as Jota so eloquently posted on Instagram: “I Am F***ing Home Babyyy.”
The performer with the dancing feet would no doubt have relished the prospect of being pitched in against the Germans, but he may have to keep his powder dry for later in the evening.
He has played a total of nine minutes short of two hours in his comeback appearances against Motherwell – where, of course, being the possessor of elan and class, he marked the occasion with a goal – Dundee and Raith Rovers.
A starting place in Europe’s most competitive and prestigious competition has come too early for the former Benfica prospect.
But he has been known to inspire a headline or two, so don’t rule him out of making some sort of impact against the Bavarians.
Would you be totally surprised to be talking about the latest exploits of Jota around about 10 o’clock tomorrow night?
No, me neither.
ALEX GORDON
