Henrik’s return from that terrible injury turned Celtic’s fortunes around

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The Celtic Star

·8. Januar 2025

Henrik’s return from that terrible injury turned Celtic’s fortunes around

The last day of the 1999/2000 campaign may have seen meaningless to those on the outside, but to some it was the most significant game of the season…

Celtic 2-0 Dundee United. Celtic Park, 21 May 2000. Henrik Larsson gets a few words of confidence from interim head coach Kenny Dalglish (right) before taking to the field for the first time since his horrific injury. Photo The Celtic Wiki

As a dismal campaign reached its conclusion Celtic faced Dundee United on the last day of the season aiming to put it all behind us and look forward to a brighter future.

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The ‘Super Caley Go Ballistic’ season

Even a League Cup final win a few months earlier couldn’t mask a season that was otherwise disappointing verging on disastrous. Finishing a massive 21 points behind champions Rangers, the infamous ‘Super Caley Go Ballistic’ game, and not even an Old Firm victory to brag about.

One of the main reasons for our failure was the loss of our star man Henrik Larsson through injury after he suffered a horrific leg break in a UEFA cup game in Lyon earlier in the season.

After many months of rehabilitation Henrik fought back to full fitness and was named as a substitute for the dead rubber against the Arabs as this dismal campaign came to an end.

Kenny Dalglish interim boss after John Barnes was sacked

Kenny Dalglish who had took over as interim manager after the sacking of John Barnes was in the dug out for the last time and included Henrik who was promised a place in the Swedish Euro 2000 squad if he played some first team minutes before the end of the season.

27 August 2000: Henrik Larsson celebrates during the Scottish Premier League match against Rangers at Celtic Park. Celtic won the game 6 – 2. Photo: Stu Forster /Allsport

Celtic Park rose to hail Henrik’s return after injury

Everyone inside Celtic Park were on their feet as Henrik got that wish when he given the last 25 minutes of the game and in doing so ended eight months of hurt and uncertainty as he was finally back on the football field. Henrik didn’t manage to find the net but that run out did his legs and mind the world of good as he finally got back to doing what he does best, and that of course was playing the beautiful game.

The Swedish duel management of Lars Lagerback and Tommy Soderberg were as good as their word and included Henrik in the national squad who were heading to Belgium and Holland for the European championships.

27 Aug 2000: Chris Sutton and Henrik Larsson of Celtic during the Scottish Premier League match against Rangers at Celtic Park in Glasgow, Scotland. Celtic won the game 6 – 2. Mandatory Credit: Stu Forster /Allsport

Henrik at the Euros

Henrik made a late appearance from the bench in the opening game against co hosts Belgium before making his first full competitive start in a game of football in nine long months against Turkey. Henrik also started in the Swedes final game against Italy and he got himself on the scoresheet, although unfortunately for Henrik and his country it wasn’t enough as the Italians won 2-1 to eliminate Sweden from the competition.

Henrik despite his disappointment had overcome a major hurdle as he continued his comeback to first team football. He had proven to everyone and himself that his body and mind was still capable of competing at the top level of the game.