Larsson's Son Set for Emotional Champions League Clash Against Father's Former Club
The Champions League group stage reaches its dramatic conclusion on Wednesday night with a particularly poignant storyline unfolding in Barcelona. Jordan Larsson, son of Barcelona legend Henrik Larsson, will be part of the Copenhagen squad travelling to face the Catalan giants in one of eighteen decisive matches taking place across Europe.
High Stakes for Both Sides in Final Group Phase Matches
Copenhagen face a challenging task as they need to secure a positive result to climb into the top twenty-four positions and earn a coveted play-off spot for the knockout stages. Meanwhile, Barcelona are among several elite sides hoping to finish the evening within the top eight, which would secure direct qualification to the last sixteen without requiring a play-off round.
Barcelona, with their illustrious history as five-time Champions League winners having lifted the famous trophy in 1992, 2006, 2009, 2011 and 2015, will be formidable opponents. The 2006 triumph holds special significance for the Larsson family, as Henrik played a pivotal role in that victory.
Henrik Larsson's Legendary Barcelona Contribution
The Copenhagen forward's father was a key figure in Barcelona's 2006 Champions League final victory against Arsenal in Paris. Despite Arsenal leading 1-0 after Jens Lehmann's first-half red card reduced them to ten men, Henrik Larsson's introduction as a 60th-minute substitute proved decisive.
The Swedish striker provided the assist for Samuel Eto'o's 76th-minute equaliser before being involved in the winning goal just four minutes later. Larsson exchanged passes with Juliano Belletti, with the Brazilian full-back firing through Manuel Almunia's legs to secure Barcelona's trophy.
This glorious final appearance marked the end of Larsson's two-year spell at Barcelona, during which he scored nineteen goals in fifty-nine appearances and earned two La Liga titles. His performance was lauded post-match by Arsenal star Thierry Henry, who insisted Larsson had made the crucial difference.
'People always talk about Ronaldinho, and everything but I didn't see him today - I saw Henrik Larsson,' Henry said. 'Two times he came on - he changed the game, that is what killed the game. You need to talk about the proper footballer who made the difference and that was Henrik Larsson tonight.'
Following in Famous Footsteps
Henrik Larsson, arguably best known for his phenomenal spell at Celtic where he scored two hundred and twenty-seven goals in three hundred and one appearances while winning four league titles, returned to Sweden after his Barcelona stint before a brief loan move to Manchester United in 2007 where he claimed a Premier League winner's medal.
His son Jordan has followed in his footsteps by becoming a professional footballer, having started his development in the Barcelona academy during his father's spell at the club between 2004 and 2006. Jordan was later coached by Henrik at Swedish side Helsingborg, where his potential was highlighted by none other than Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
'There's a kid who's getting better and better, Henrik Larsson's son, we're waiting for him,' Ibrahimovic said in 2016.
Jordan Larsson's Career Journey and Current Form
Jordan Larsson has since enjoyed a nomadic career representing Dutch side NEC, Russian outfit Spartak Moscow, German club Schalke, and Swedish sides IFK Norrkoping and AIK before joining Danish giants Copenhagen in 2023. Now in his fourth season at the club, he has made a significant impact in this season's Champions League campaign.
The forward has scored three crucial goals in the competition, including strikes against Bayer Leverkusen and Napoli that helped Copenhagen earn impressive draws. He also found the net in Copenhagen's 3-2 victory over Kairat Almaty, a result that has given them a genuine chance of reaching the play-off rounds.
With eight appearances already for the Swedish national team, Jordan Larsson now faces the emotional challenge of making an impact against his father's former club when Copenhagen need it most. His performance could determine whether his side continues their European adventure beyond Wednesday night's packed final round of league phase matches.
