| Match Pictures | Henrik Larsson | Matches: 2003 – 2004 | 2003-2004 Pictures |
Trivia
- Henrik Larsson waved his final farewells to the Celtic faithful after his testimonial match with Seville.
- Game played on anniversary of Lisbon 1967.
- Wim Jansen returns to pay tribute to Larsson.
Review
A capacity crowd at Celtic Park sang all night in honour of their departing hero, who has enjoyed seven goal-filled years in Scotland. But the prolific striker couldn’t manage a goodbye goal as Chris Sutton headed the solitary winner.
“It’s been so special for me to play here,” Larsson announced. In a brief address to the crowd after the game, he continued: “The last few weeks have been absolutely fantastic.”
Former Celtic goalkeeper Jonathan Gould, now at Preston, made an appearance, as did striker John Hartson, who has been out for four months through injury.
Larsson, who was signed from Feyenoord for £650,000, will now look forward to Euro 2004 with Sweden and then decide where his future lies – with Spain known to be his preferred option.
Henrik and Jordan Larsson
Teams
Celtic:-
Gould, Balde (McManus 65), Varga, McNamara, Agathe, Lennon, Petrov, Thompson (Smith 78), Sutton, Larsson, Hartson (Sylla 65).
Subs not used:- McGovern, McBride.
Goal:- Sutton 59.
Sevilla:-
Gallardo, Magallanes, G Hornos, Oscar, Notario, Redondo, Torrado, Marti, Ocio, Lopez, Maranon.
Subs:- Navarro, Silva, Antonito, Casquero, Carlitos, Alfaro, Esteban.
Referee:- M McCurry
Articles
Pictures
BBC
Larsson enters hall of fame
When Henrik Larsson bids farewell to the Celtic faithful on Tuesday he will enter the Parkhead hall of fame.
Some pundits even claim the Swede is the greatest Celtic star of all time.
Everyone has their own view, with younger generations tending towards a positive response, while those who have been around longer are more cautious.
But few will deny that he is among the best players Scottish football has seen and so, for the purists, Saturday will be a sad day.
The Scottish Cup final against Dunfermline marked Larsson’s last competitive game for Celtic and, almost inevitably, he had a huge say in the match’s outcome with two goals.
There is little left to write or say about the man, as the country’s media publish supplements and transmit entire programmes dedicated to his contribution to the Scottish game, and to Celtic in particular.
But that in itself shows the esteem in which he is held in his adopted homeland.
Seldom have so many positive words been written about an individual player, to the extent that Rangers supporters must be on the verge of cancelling the papers and their television licence.
For Larsson has, for many of his seven years in Scotland, been the bane of their lives and they will be glad to see the back of him.
They will be as anxious as their counterparts on the other half of Glasgow’s footballing divide to see who Martin O’Neill brings in to attempt to replace Larsson.
O’Neill knows better than most the pressure Larsson’s successor will be under, and the Celtic manager will not be rushed into the transfer market to find his man.
A number of top-quality strikers have been linked with a move to Celtic Park, among them Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink and Robbie Keane.
Even players of that calibre will find it hard to emulate the success and adulation enjoyed by Larsson in the east end of Glasgow.
It seems churlish, then, to try to measure Larsson’s quality or worth alongside other Celtic greats like Jimmy Johnstone and Kenny Dalglish.
For what it’s worth, though, Dalglish said this week: “Henrik is up there with any player we’ve ever had playing in this country. Everyone has their own opinions about different players but I can’t think of anyone better.”
But perhaps it is better to reflect on the pleasure all of these players have brought and hope it is not too long before someone of similar quality graces the Scottish game.
Larsson’s final bow
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/c/celtic/3748073.stm
Henrik Larsson waved his final farewells to the Celtic faithful and pocketed close to £1m after his testimonial match with Seville.
A capacity crowd at Celtic Park sang all night in honour of their departing hero, who has enjoyed seven goal-filled years in Scotland.
But the prolific striker couldn’t manage a goodbye goal as Chris Sutton headed the solitary winner.
“It’s been so special for me to play here,” Larsson announced.
In a brief address to the crowd after the game, he continued: “The last few weeks have been absolutely fantastic.”
Larsson scored twice in Saturday’s Scottish Cup final, when Celtic came from behind to win 3-1 against Dunfermline and he also grabbed a brace in his final league match, when Dundee United were beaten in Glasgow.
His season’s tally of 41 took his Celtic goals to an incredible 242 in 315 appearances.
“The fans have been amazing and I’m sure Celtic will go on to conquer Europe again,” Larsson added before a final lap of the stadium to soak up the thunderous applause.
Former Celtic goalkeeper Jonathan Gould, now at Preston, made an appearance, as did striker John Hartson, who has been out for four months through injury.
Larsson, who was signed from Feyenoord for £650,000, will now look forward to Euro 2004 with Sweden and then decide where his future lies – with Spain known to be his preferred option.
Tears end Larsson reign
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/c/celtic/3719609.stm
Henrik Larsson was overcome with emotion
Report: Celtic 2-1 Dundee Utd
Henrik Larsson broke down in tears in front of 60,000 adoring fans after his last competitive game at Celtic Park.
Larsson, who scored twice in the victory over Dundee United, told BBC Scotland: “I can’t even speak. It has been a fantastic few years.
“The fans have been tremendous and it is great to have been part of something so special like this.”
Manager Martin O’Neill said: “He says it has been a privilege being here, but the privilege was all ours.”
Larsson’s double in the 2-1 win over United brought the Sweden international striker’s total for the season to 39 – bringing his career tally with Celtic to 240.
The normally ice-cool 32-year-old was touched by the warmth of feeling from the Celtic support but insisted that he was sticking with his intention to make his seventh season with the Scottish champions his last.
It was a fantastic end to a fantastic time here
Celtic boss Martin O’Neill
“I’m going to miss this,” he admitted. “But, as I have said many times, it is time for me to go.”
It had looked like he might end his last competitive game at Celtic Park uncharacteristically goalless until his double in the final 10 minutes.
“I started swinging at everything at one stage,” he said. “But, fortunately, I got the first one through a great ball from Alan Thompson.
“The second one was a great ball from Didier Agathe and, once I got the first, I wasn’t going to miss the second.”
Larsson paid tribute to O’Neill for helping revive the club’s fortunes.
“My whole career here has been brilliant,” he said. “We have had our ups and downs, but the last four years have been tremendous.
“It has been fantastic and, once the gaffer came up, things started to go forward and happen.
“It has been a pleasure to be at a club like this.”
O’Neill added: “He is absolutely fantastic – sensational, sensational, sensational from a sensational player.
“It was very emotional, but it was a fantastic end to a fantastic time here.
“He is a wonderful, wonderful player. You always think he is capable of scoring and, in the air, he is absolutely sensational.”
