HENRIK LARSSON was a guest this morning on Sky Sports and referenced his magical seven years at Celtic as a vital component in allowing him to go on and achieve Champions League glory with Barcelona. The King of Kings also spoke about his few months starring for Manchester Utd as as it was on Sky Sports then that was given more prominence than it probably deserved.
Here’s Henrik doing what he did best for Celtic in that never to be forgotten 6-2 game against Rangers.
Henrik Larsson…that is sensational!
— celticbible (@celticbible) April 27, 2020
“Obviously it was one of the greatest nights of my career,” the King of Kings said, reflecting on that Champions League glory night against Arsenal, when he came off the bench with Barcelona trailing by a goal and running out of time and ideas, to set up both goals needed to ensure that the Big Cup was going back to Catalonia and not heading the North London, “but in order to achieve that I can’t forget the seven years I had at Celtic.
“Minus a few injuries, it was the best time of my career. In terms of winning a Champions League medal, it is the biggest because it’s just fantastic to have the chance.
“I was in a UEFA Cup Final with Celtic. We didn’t have the chance to win that one unfortunately. I would have loved to have had the chance to share that with the supporters.
“But winning the Champions League is a great feeling because a lot of people want to win it. Some people win it and some don’t even get the chance to win it.
“But I can never look away from the seven years I had up in Glasgow because that made me the player I was when I came to Barcelona.”
Henrik certainly made an impact at Barcelona. Brazilian superstar Ronaldinho famously described the King of Kings as his own idol, yet during his time at Celtic the English commentators would questions his credentials as a bone-fide world class footballer as he was ‘untested’ in their league.
It was the same attitude that resulted in Virgil van Dijk – now regarded as the best defender in world football – having to go to Southampton from Celtic, to play in the English Premier League. The Dutchman’s current club Liverpool, as well as the likes of Manchester City, Manchester Utd and Arsenal, all passed on van Dijk while he was at Celtic.
Yesterday Scott Brown referred to Virgil van Dijk as a Rolls Royce of a footballer and the best he’s played with.
Henrik on completing his glorious seven year spell in the East End of Glasgow arrive at the Nou Camp confident in his own ability. “I felt that I was good enough to play there but sometimes I had to pinch myself that I was there with players like Ronaldinho and Samuel Eto’o to mention a few.
🗣”That’s where I made my name”
Henrik Larsson on his time at Celtic pic.twitter.com/DOBKTna6PQ
— Football Daily (@footballdaily) April 27, 2020
“I felt like I could do it otherwise I wouldn’t have gone there. It was also something different for me.
“I came to Glasgow where I was the main man to Barcelona where I was just a squad player. It was different, I didn’t mind that.
“I was 33 at the time and felt it was a great opportunity for me to come to Barcelona and show everybody that didn’t believe I belonged at that level that I was good enough,” Henrik said.
On his time at Old Trafford, when he was nearing the end of his playing career, Henrik admitted it was somewhat scary to pitch up there and expect to be a success. Yet he was of course.
“I was 35 at the time I think. Coming into that dressing room was a little bit scary with all the players there and all the trophies they had won.
“So it was a little bit intimidating. But as soon as I was in the dressing room, it was a nice bunch of lads that welcomed me. I really felt at home there.
“Even though I was only there for ten weeks, I still think the way the club and the players took care of me while I was there was fantastic.”
A Madeleine moment stretched over the next eleven seconds in Oporto
Here’s another Henrik goal which was described brilliantly by Setting Free the Bears on The Celtic Star the other day and it’s well worth a read if you missed it.
📅 A memorable Henrik Larsson strike #OTD in 2003 ⚽️#UEL | @CelticFC pic.twitter.com/a0M26sCmWv
— UEFA Europa League (@EuropaLeague) April 24, 2020
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