Henrik Larsson, Celtic's leading scorer, has flown home to Sweden after a trainingground altercation with his team-mate Tosh McKinlay yesterday that seriously disrupted preparations for tomorrow's Old Firm match against Rangers.

Larsson was said to have vowed not to return to Glasgow. But Celtic general manager Jock Brown said: "Henrik had been given special leave by our head coach, Wim Jansen, to return to Sweden for his father-in-law's funeral. He will rejoin the squad tomorrow."

Brown confirmed there had been a collision at training, but insisted that it had not had a detrimental effect on morale. "There was a training-ground incident," he said. "Such events happen in professional sport. There are no serious injuries arising and it has not affected concentration on Saturday's match. Morale in the camp could not be better. The players are relaxed and focused."

It is believed that the two players collided during a bounce match. Larsson is understood to have caught McKinlay with his elbow, after which the two players are said to have squared up to each other and the Swede was left holding his face. McKinlay, the Scotland left-back, then headed straight from the training ground to Celtic Park and drove off still wearing his training kit. Larsson later took a flight to London en route to Stockholm.

Celtic are a point ahead of their most serious rivals in the Premier Division and Larsson has been a major contributor with seven goals in 10 matches. Larsson was signed by Celtic's Dutch coach, Wim Jansen, from Feyenoord, in August. He has scored a total of 10 goals in all competitions and had been regarded as a serious threat to Rangers in tomorrow's game. McKinlay has not been a regular in the Celtic team this season, his place at left-back having been taken by the Frenchman, Stephane Mahe. The general feeling last night was that McKinlay may have played his last game for the club.

Meanwhile, Paul Lambert is expected to seal his £1.7million move from Dortmund to Celtic today. The 28-year-old Scotland midfielder flew into Glasgow Airport yesterday and was whisked away with his agent Jim Melrose to Celtic Park for a medical.

Guardian Service