Scary moment as Celtic star gets tangled in ultras’ flag and pulls string from his neck

Celtic winger Jota experienced a worrying and unexpected moment during his long-awaited return to competitive action when he became caught up in an ultras flag and briefly had a piece of string wrapped around his neck.

The Portuguese attacker finally made his comeback from a lengthy injury absence on Sunday as Celtic secured a 2-0 victory over Motherwell at Fir Park. However, what should have been a memorable return quickly produced an alarming incident that left supporters concerned, although thankfully it did not result in any serious injury.

Jota had only been on the pitch for a short period when the unusual incident occurred. The 27-year-old was positioned close to the touchline as he went to retrieve the ball for a throw-in. At the same time, a large flag was being waved by Celtic supporters in the stands nearby.

Initially, Jota was partly obscured by the flag as it moved around him. When the flag was lifted, however, it became apparent that the Celtic player had become caught up in one of its strings.

The winger appeared to have a piece of material or string around his neck and immediately reacted by trying to free himself from it. Television cameras picked up the incident, showing Jota pulling the string away from his neck while looking visibly puzzled by what had just happened.

The strange episode quickly attracted attention online, with one supporter joking that Celtic had only just managed to get Jota back before almost losing him again.

A post on social media said: “Only had Jota back for 15 minutes and we almost lost him permanently.”

Celtic star Jota ended up caught in a flag at Fir Park (Image: Social media)

Although the comment was made in a humorous manner, the images of Jota having to remove the string from around his neck created a worrying moment for those watching the match.

Fortunately, the incident had no lasting consequences and Jota was able to continue playing. His appearance at Fir Park represented a major milestone after an extremely frustrating spell on the sidelines.

The Celtic supporters were delighted to see the winger back on the pitch, with the visiting fans making their appreciation clear as he returned to competitive football.

Jota eventually played around 20 minutes during Celtic’s victory, allowing manager Martin O’Neill to gradually introduce him back into first-team action.

The Portuguese forward has endured a significant period away from competitive football after suffering an anterior cruciate ligament injury. His last competitive appearance before Sunday’s comeback had come against Dundee United approximately 18 months earlier.

The long absence has made Jota’s return an eagerly anticipated moment for Celtic supporters, particularly given his previous impact and popularity among the Parkhead faithful.

Rather than immediately throwing him into a full match, Celtic have taken a careful approach to his rehabilitation and return. The winger had already taken another important step towards his comeback during the international break when he featured in a bounce game against Falkirk.

That appearance gave Jota valuable minutes and allowed him to continue building his fitness before returning to competitive football.

His involvement against Motherwell therefore represented another significant stage in the process, even though his time on the pitch remained limited.

The 2-0 victory also provided the ideal backdrop for his comeback, with Celtic leaving Fir Park with all three points. For Jota, however, the attention was briefly diverted from his return by the bizarre incident involving the supporters’ flag.

The episode was particularly unusual because it happened almost immediately after he had entered the match. Having spent such a long time waiting to return, Celtic fans were understandably relieved that the incident did not develop into anything more serious.

Jota’s reaction also appeared to underline how unexpected the situation was. As the flag moved away, he was seen trying to understand what had happened before pulling the string away from his neck.

Despite the scare, he completed his short spell on the field and emerged from the match without any reported injury from the incident.

For Celtic, the most important aspect of the day was undoubtedly seeing Jota back in competitive action. His lengthy rehabilitation has meant supporters have had to wait patiently for his return, and his appearance at Fir Park offered encouragement that he can now begin working towards full fitness.

The winger will still need to be managed carefully following his ACL injury, with his playing time likely to increase gradually as he regains his sharpness and confidence.

Nevertheless, his return is a welcome boost for Celtic and O’Neill as the season progresses.

The bizarre flag incident will certainly be remembered as one of the stranger moments of Jota’s comeback. What could have been a serious situation fortunately ended without consequences, allowing the Portuguese star to focus on rebuilding his fitness and rediscovering his best form.

After 18 months away from competitive football, simply seeing Jota back on the pitch was the major positive for Celtic supporters. Now the hope will be that his return continues smoothly and that the winger can put the latest scare firmly behind him.