Roughly a week after his 31st birthday, Zapater signed for his beloved Real Zaragoza. Come july would mark seven years since those tears were shed at his very hasty goodbye. Having been more or less forced out of his boyhood club. He moved to Italy and Genoa, where he scored the first ever Europa League goal. Wishful thinking, perhaps, but I wouldn’t mind him scoring Real Zaragoza’s first Europa League goal, too.

After Luis Milla, another Aragonese joins the club. Next season, at least this guy will be immune against the regular shouts of “mercenaries” aimed at under-performing players.