Barcelona striker Henrik Larsson, who resumed practice this week after a knee injury, is likely to sit out next month's World Cup qualifier against Malta, Sweden coach Lars Lagerback said yesterday.

Larsson has been sidelined for six months after suffering cartilage damage, lesions and a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee during a Spanish league game against Real Madrid last November. He practised with Barcelona this week, but Lagerback said he doubts the prolific scorer will be ready to play in the 4 June game.

"I can't imagine that he will play," Lagerback told Swedish news agency TT. "He has been practising just for a short time, and is taking it one day at a time now to see how everything works."

Sweden trail Croatia by one point in Group Eight, while Malta are in last place.