Celtic defeats Hearts 7-1 as Jota returns from injury

Celtic secured a dominant 7-1 victory over Hearts in the ninth round of the Scottish Premiership, maintaining their position at the top of the league with 24 points. The match featured a high-scoring first half, with goals from Tierney, Nygren, Osmand (who scored twice), and an own goal by McCart, leaving the score at 5-1 by halftime. In the second half, Duran added a sixth, and Nygren completed the scoring with his second goal of the match.

The victory marked a significant moment for Portuguese winger Jota, who returned to action as a substitute following an 18-month absence due to a serious anterior cruciate ligament injury sustained in April 2025. Jota expressed a positive outlook on his recovery, stating that the period of inactivity helped him grow mentally and that he intends to evolve to reach his former peak performance levels for the club.