Larsson out of Portugal clash

October 8, 2008

Swedish captain Henrik Larsson is out of his sides crunch 2010 World Cup qualifying match against Portugal on Saturday, according to the Swedish Football Association.

The former Celtic and Barcelona striker strained his right thigh muscle and will now be unavailable for selection against Carlos Quieroz’s men.

“It often takes a few weeks for such injuries to heal, so I don’t think even a miracle could save Saturday’s game” for Larsson, national team doctor Anders Valentin said in a statement.

Coach Lars Lagerbaeck said he was disappointed that Larsson would not be able to play.

“(Larsson) is an important player on and off the field, a leader, and we don’t really have any other forward that has the same capabilities he has,” he said in the statement.

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