Lyon focus for Larsson

By Tom Rollett

Celtic FC need just one point to qualify for the knockout stages of the UEFA Champions League and for striker Henrik Larsson, the trip to Olympique Lyonnais has an extra significance.

Peripheral figure
It was at the Stade Gerland four years ago that Larsson broke his leg eleven minutes into a UEFA Cup tie against the French team. He was sidelined for seven months, leaving him a peripheral figure in Sweden's UEFA EURO 2000™ campaign, but the 32-year-old is hoping to exorcise those ghosts by securing Celtic's passage through to the last 16 of the competition.

No problems
"I am hoping to return from Lyon with better memories than my last trip," Larsson told uefa.com. "But it will not be a problem for me to return to the Gerland stadium. Getting injured is part of the game and that could have happened anywhere. I broke my jaw at Celtic Park and that didn't stop me playing there, so I'm looking forward to playing and helping Celtic through to the next stage of the competition."

Bad luck
Celtic go into the game hoping for a repeat of their 2-0 victory against Lyon in September but having lost both their previous away fixtures in Champions League Group A, Larsson has warned his team-mates they must step up a gear if they are to fulfil their ambitions. "Our away form has let us down," said the forward, who has scored an incredible 218 goals in 278 appearances for the club. "We know it's going to be difficult and it will be totally different from the game in Glasgow, so we must be strong. Although we don't necessarily have to win against Lyon we will not be thinking like this."

Curtain call
Celtic's last appearance in the Champions League ended at this stage two years ago when they finished third in their section behind Juventus FC and FC Porto. Last year they reached the UEFA Cup final, but according to Larsson, advancing to the knockout rounds would be a fine way to bring the curtain down on his Celtic career.

Personal motivation
"I know that everyone is talking about this being my last year and I would like to achieve as much as I can while I am still here," he said. "It would mean so much if we go through but to qualify for the next phase is not about me at all - it is about the club, the team and the fans and I just hope we can get through for everyone."

Absent friends
Celtic's task will be made more difficult following the news that Jackie McNamara is out with a shoulder injury, likewise Didier Agathe with a hamstring problem. Alan Thompson is also suspended but Larsson played down the absences. "It is always difficult when you miss good players, but we have a strong squad at Celtic so I don't think this will affect us too much," he insisted. "I am sure the players who come in to replace those missing will be able to perform as well on the night. The important thing is that we do not get complacent and that we take our chances."

Henrik Larsson's personal website is at www.icons.com