Intervenções

Lore & Background

Janota began his career with Benfica. He played twice for their B team in the Segunda Divisão, the third tier of Portuguese football, before moving on to third-tier clubs Estrela de Vendas Novas, Atlético CP and Estrela da Amadora. He spent the 2010–11 season with Liga de Honra (second-tier) Trofense, but never played for the first team. After a season back in the third tier with Mafra, Janota returned to Atlético CP, where he finally made his first appearance in the newly renamed Segunda Liga. He continued his Segunda Liga career with Académico Viseu and Oriental, before returning to Viseu in 2015. He signed for Tondela ahead of the 2016–17 season, and made his Primeira Liga debut in April 2017. That was his last top-flight appearance, and after half a season with Mafra he rejoined Académico Viseu in January 2019.

In Their Own Story

O silêncio cai sobre a Luz antes do apito inicial, quebrado apenas pelo som de um grito coletivo. De repente, uma faixa vermelha e preta desce como um raio pela bancada sul, revelando letras brancas que desafiam o destino: 'O Benfica é mais que um clube'. A multidão responde com o hino eterno, uma onda sonora que parece fazer tremer as arquibancadas de concreto. Neste momento, a linha entre jogador e adepto dissolve-se; todos são um só corpo pulsante, movido pela mesma fé inabalável na águia.

Reader's Guide

Janota was born in Pêro Pinheiro, Sintra, in the Greater Lisbon area. He began his football career in the youth system of Primeira Liga club Benfica, and made his senior debut for Benfica's B team as a 17-year-old, on 16 October 2005 in a 2–0 defeat of Pinhalnovense in the Segunda Divisão. He played once more for Benfica B, and was once an unused substitute for the first team, before being released at the end of the 2005–06 season. He played five Segunda Divisão matches for Estrela de Vendas Novas in late 2006, then moved on to Atlético CP. He made his senior debut for Atlético in February 2008, as a first-half substitute when goalkeeper Filipe Leão was sent off against Carregado. He was undisputed first-choice goalkeeper during the 2008–09 regular season. He spent the 2009–10 season as Estrela da Amadora's main goalkeeper, before moving up to the Liga de Honra as one of eleven new signings for Trofense. He was an unused substitute in 12 matches but played no competitive first-team football. He returned to the Segunda Divisão for 2011–12 as Mafra's regular goalkeeper. He then signed a two-year contract with former club Atlético CP, newly promoted to the Segunda Liga. He began the season as understudy to Filipe Leão, playing only in one League Cup match and the Portuguese Cup second-round defeat to Naval before replacing Leão in the starting eleven on matchday 32 to make his first appearance in the second tier. He kept his place for the last 11 matches of the campaign, before becoming the first signing for Segunda Liga newcomers Académico Viseu in June 2013. Viseu used Janota sparingly at the start of the season, but he then established himself at first choice, and played in 30 consecutive league matches. He then left the club for Oriental, themselves newly promoted to the Segunda Liga, where he found himself used as backup to Tiago Mota and selected only for cup matches. He came into the side in the second half of the season, making 13 league appearances, before rejoining Académico Viseu for 2015–16. Janota was ever-present in league matches in his second spell with Viseu, and was voted best goalkeeper in the Segunda Liga. On 1 July 2016, Janota signed a two-year contract with Primeira Liga club Tondela. With Cláudio Ramos established as first choice, Janota began the season on the bench. He made his first appearance on 9 October, against Feirense in the Lea

Did You Know?

• Janota made his senior debut for Benfica's B team as a 17-year-old on 16 October 2005.
• He was an unused substitute for Benfica's first team once.
• He made his Primeira Liga debut at the age of 30, on 9 April 2017, for Tondela.
• He was voted best goalkeeper in the Segunda Liga after the 2015–16 season.
• In international football, Janota played for Portugal from under-16 to under-19 level, and was part of Portugal's squad for the 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup without taking the field.