Larsson sees life beyond the fireworks

It could scarcely have been a more contrasting time for those on either side of the Old Firm divide last week. Rangers, without a game to worry about, allowed their players a little R & R; for Celtic, it was business as usual.

Lorenzo Amoruso, the Rangers defender, spent his spare time on radio shows and photo sessions plugging his new book while his team-mate Fernando Ricksen let his hair down by letting off fireworks at 4am last Sunday, prompting a well-publicised dust-up with a neighbour which saw the police called in.

The only fireworks Henrik Larsson deals in are legal. Celtic's prolific striker ignited a frenetic Uefa Cup tie in front of 56,000 people at Parkhead on Thursday, and no one in the east end of Glasgow complained about the noise.

The Swede has given Martin O'Neill's side a precious 1-0 lead to take to Spain in 11 days' time but a lot has still to be crammed in before both men can start thinking about the return leg with Celta Vigo: first there is the small matter of Motherwell – the only side to beat the Scottish champions this season – today, followed by a trip to Hibernian on Wednesday and then a crucial derby away to Rangers on Saturday.

"This is the most important period of the season for us," reflected O'Neill, the day after his side had taken care of Celta Vigo. "We face a lot of football and and we can't take our foot off the pedal for a minute." You cannot imagine Larsson putting his feet up, yet the Celtic icon reiterated just a few days ago that there is no going back on his decision to leave when his current contract ends in 18 months' time, and head back to Sweden and into semi-retirement at 33.

"I have always made it clear this will be the last contract I will sign for Celtic," he said. "The club will always be special to me but it will be the right time to go back to Sweden. My son, Jordan, will start school there when he's seven."

Perhaps, it is the thought of such a finite end to a truly infinite talent that is prompting Larsson's remarkable season. The man who won the European Golden Boot in 2001 is on course for another, but his 25th goal of the campaign – the header which sank a team currently above Real Madrid and Barcelona – could turn out to be the most valuable.

Yet again, the Swede had cause to be grateful to John Hartson, whose towering strength set up the chance just as he did against Blackburn Rovers in the previous round. Forced to endure meagre playing rations at times, Hartson simply wants to be in every game. "We have a very busy week ahead," he said, "so beating Celta Vigo has given us a great boost. With all due respect to Motherwell, this is a game we would expect to win and I think you will see the manager use it to rotate the squad a little.

"I like to play as often as possible but I was rested from the Partick Thistle match recently because Wales had been in Azerbaijan, and I felt so fresh against Vigo."

Hartson relishes the Old Firm contest most of all. "You always get a hard physical game against Lorenzo Amoruso and Craig Moore," he said. "It will be the same kind of battle I get when I play for Wales – and the one I got against Vigo." Hartson can trace his fine run for club and country back to the last Glasgow derby on 6 October, when his impact as a substitute was to help Chris Sutton earn a 3-3 draw.

"Old Firm games are fast, furious and difficult to play in," he said. "In maybe 80 per cent of SPL matches you back yourself to score, but that is not the case against Rangers. It takes about three to four Old Firm games to get into your stride because there is so much at stake. Thiscan make or break either club's season. I scored in last season's Scottish Cup final, and now I want to break my duck against them in the League."