Even Manchester United fans with the longest of memories probably won’t remember all that much about a 2-1 victory away at Dinamo Bucharest in a 2004 Champions League qualifier.
They’ll remember even less about Diego Forlan’s short-lived cameo over in Romania, brought off the bench by Sir Alex Ferguson as the clock struck 90.
But, such were the rules, that was to be the last time Forlan stepped onto a pitch in Europe that season.
The Uruguay international was sold to Villarreal before the end of the summer transfer window.
But because players were banned from representing two clubs in European competition – regardless of the fact it was merely a qualifier, and a different tournament entirely – Forlan was forced to sit out Villarreal’s storming run to the quarter-finals of the UEFA Cup.
Will Prem clubs return for Giovanni Simeone?
Giovanni Simeone might have felt similarly hard done by when denied a January move to Goodison Park or the London Stadium.
According to TEAMtalk, both West Ham United and Everton made attempts to sign Simeone on loan last month.
But, because he’d played nine minutes of football off the bench for Cagliari before joining Hellas Verona in August, Diego’s free-scoring son found himself tied up in red tape.
TEAMtalk adds that Simeone’s representative tried to appeal the decision but were informed that the rules were not for breaking. Not that Hellas Verona will have been too disappointed after learning that Simeone would be sticking around for another few months.
Heading into January, he’d already scored more Serie A goals (12) than across the entirety of his previous season. There was a stunning brace in an unexpected 2-1 victory over Juventus. Four more goals in a thumping October triumph vs Lazio.
And, after a brief lull, Simeone marked his return to form with a second hat-trick of 2021/22 when Venezia came to town on Sunday.
His first of the game was Simeone to a tee; Snatching possession off a dawdling defender before racing through and slotting home. The second with his unfavored left-foot, instinctive and incisive in equal measure.
By the time Simeone slammed in number three, only 34 minutes had passed between Hellas making it 1-0 and then wrapping up a 3-1 win.
“A nice hat-trick from an important player and we are happy,” head coach Igor Tudor said after a result which lifts Hellas to within four points of Atalanta and Roma.
“Simeone deserves the best. You have to see how he trains. He is a strong player. I had seen him smiling during the week. He was doing good things even before the goal.”
A word of warning for Simeone if he’s got his sights set on a summer move to the Premier League.
This time, get things sorted before the season begins.
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