Previous Newcastle United forward Faustino Asprilla as soon as just about missed the club’s well-known clash with Barcelona in 1997 following keeping at his ranch to social gathering.
Asprilla, 53, exposed he was absent for the team assembly in advance of the clash with the La Liga giants – leaving manager Kenny Dalglish ‘furious’ with the player.
Just after leaving Dalglish furious, Asprilla claimed he did not count on to attribute in the Champions League match in opposition to the Spanish giants.
In what was 1 of the biggest game titles in the club’s heritage, Dalglish was devoid of Alan Shearer due to injuries and Les Ferdinand – who was marketed that summer time.
It meant that Asprilla was given the nod from the off, with the former St James’ Park hero amazed by the call-up.
Faustino Asprilla claims he as soon as practically missed Newcastle’s well known acquire around Barcelona just after being at home to get together on his ranch
The previous forward disclosed he skipped the group assembly which remaining supervisor Kenny Dalglish ‘furious’
Your browser does not aid iframes.
‘I’d been absent on international duty, but rather of likely back to Newcastle I went to my ranch and had a get together with a lot of girls,’ Asprilla instructed FourFourTwo journal in 2017.
‘[Manager] Kenny Dalglish was furious,’ he added.
Talking to Mail Activity, the Colombian unveiled that he missed a team meeting and was afterwards fined by the club.
‘I skipped a workforce meeting,’ he mentioned.
‘The supervisor was not satisfied at all. He fined me. But I was by no means superior with items like this — the only time I at any time turned up for teaching early was when the clocks went again and I didn’t realise.
‘So that activity towards Barcelona I did not anticipate to perform. When he named me in the team, I was surprised. But it was a person of the greatest games in the club’s historical past — the initial in the Champions League. Alan Shearer was hurt and Les Ferdinand experienced been sold, so they necessary me. I was designed for nights like this.’
The forward would go on to score an legendary hat-trick – with the Magpies securing a 3-2 gain at St James’ Park.
He would go on to depart the club in the identical period – signing for Serie A aspect Parma in January 1998. The hat-trick versus Barcelona would establish to be his previous goals for the club.
Due to the fact his functionality from Barcelona, the forward has never had to purchase a drink in Newcastle
Asprilla statements he has never ever experienced to acquire a drink in Newcastle pursuing his overall performance towards Barcelona.
‘Since that working day I have under no circumstances experienced to invest in a consume in Newcastle,’ he says. ‘There is a large picture of my cartwheel celebration from that evening within St James’ Park.
‘If you appear carefully, you can see the place I signed it when I arrived again numerous several years in the past.
‘Everywhere I go the people want to speak about Barcelona, and why not?’
