SIMPLY SENSATIONAL

Having joined Ronald Koeman’s backroom staff at Barcelona, we chart Henrik Larsson’s magnificent journey from Paradise to the Camp Nou

- JOE DONNELLY

OVER the course of his seven magnificent years at Paradise, Henrik Larsson scored 242 goals in 315 appearances, establishing himself as one of the greatest players to ever play in green and white.

The super Swede’s legendary haul places him third in the club’s all-time goalscoring ranks – behind Bobby Lennox (277) and Jimmy McGrory (468) – and the forward will be forever considered Celtic’s King of Kings.

Upon departing Glasgow’s East End in the summer of 2004, the Hoops’ Magnificent Seven spent two years plying his trade at Barcelona, and, in 2006, helped the Catalan side lift the UEFA Champions League – coming off the bench after an hour to assist for Samuel Eto’o’s 76th-minute equaliser, and Juliano Belletti’s eventual matchwinner four minutes after that.

After hanging up his boots in 2013, Larsson spent a number of years managing in his home country, taking charge of his boyhood club Högaborgs BK on two occasions. Last week, after the appointment of Ronald Koeman at Barcelona, the former Sweden internationalist was announced at part of the new coach’s backroom staff – something Celtic boss Neil Lennon described as a brilliant move for his former team-mate.

Here we look Henrik’s connection with Celtic and Barcelona, on the Camp Nou and Paradise pitches.

After exiting the 2003/04 UEFA Champions League group stages in third place (behind Bayern Munich and Lyon), Celtic parachuted into the UEFA Cup to play Czech side FK Teplice. Despite losing the second leg 1-0 at the Na Stinadlech stadium, a Henrik Larsson brace and Chris Sutton strike secured a comfortable 3-0 home win one week prior, and set up a last 16 encounter between the Hoops and Frank Rijkaard’s Barcelona.