Larsson looks to bow out in style

Henrik Larsson is eyeing a unique treble as he prepares to play his final game for FC Barcelona in Wednesday's UEFA Champions League final against Arsenal FC at the Stade de France.

Ultimate accolade
The 34-year-old Sweden striker already has two Primera División titles from his two seasons with the Catalan giants and having collected an MBE award last week for his services to British sport during his stay with Celtic FC, he is hoping to cap his Barcelona career with the ultimate accolade. "It was fantastic to be given such a fine award by the British ambassador at the Camp Nou, but if I could win a Champions League medal on Wednesday that would be even better," Larsson told uefa.com.

Unhappy memories
For Larsson, the Paris final also offers the opportunity to exorcise some demons from his time at Celtic, particularly the 2002/03 UEFA Cup final defeat by FC Porto. The Swede was an inspirational figure for Celtic in Seville, scoring twice before José Mourinho's side ran out 3-2 winners, and while the setback still rankles Larsson is determined to redress the balance against Arsenal.

'Desperate to win'
"It was an enormous disappointment to score two goals and still not win a cup final," he said. "I have tried not to think too much about that game. It happened. Hopefully it will go better this time and I am desperate to win. We know it will be difficult against a very good Arsenal side, but then again we have a pretty good team as well."

Celtic gift
Larsson could become a Celtic hero once again as a Barcelona victory would catapult the Scottish champions into the group stage of next season's UEFA Champions League, thereby avoiding a third qualifying round tie. The thought of helping his old club appeals to a player who recorded 242 goals in seven campaigns in Glasgow, but first and foremost he is focusing on the Blaugrana.

Goalscoring dream
"I'm aware that if we win, Celtic would qualify directly," Larsson added. "We will obviously do our best to win, that's why we are here. It would obviously be fantastic to score the winning goal, but at the same time it's not just about me. It's about what we can do, so if I don't score in the final and we win, no one would be happier than me."

Swedish return
Whatever the outcome, Larsson will return to Sweden this summer and rejoin Helsingborgs IF, the club where he broke through in the early 1990s. Former Barcelona legend Johan Cruyff and coach Frank Rijkaard have both asked him to reconsider and stay at the Camp Nou, but faced with the prospect of the substitutes' bench next term, Larsson is determined to play regularly for another couple of seasons before hanging up his boots.

Off the bench
"I like playing football and I am sitting on the bench too much for my liking," he said. "I will soon be 35 and it feels like I have a couple more years left in my body, so I would rather go home and play football." Even so, a hero's sendoff would do nicely.