The Glory Days of Diego Forlán

March 7, 2009, La Liga Matchday 26. It is twenty-three minutes to eight in El Derbi Madrileño, and Real Madrid have just turned over possession following an errant corner. Diego Forlán, Sergio Agüero and Simão begin to run like possessed men, as the 20-year-old Agüero exchanges a one-two with Simão and sets off on an audacious counterattack.

On the right wing is the stocky #7, hair tucked into a band, raring at full throttle like a trophy-winning Formula 1 car. He sprints the full 70 yards before arriving at the edge of Iker Casillas's box. He receives Agüero's pass with his right foot, takes a deft touch, before firing his shot into the top left corner to put the Colchoneros in front. The previously booming Santiago Bernabéu watches in silence as Forlán, Agüero and Simão delight in the celebration, with Czech defender Tomáš Ujfaluši trailing behind.

Their lead didn't last long, with Klaas-Jan Huntelaar grabbing the equalizer, but for Forlán, it would be the second in a three-game scoring streak that would see him hit the back of the net against Pep Guardiola's Barcelona, Juande Ramos's Real Madrid, and Manuel Pellegrini's Villarreal. Atlético would be the only team to score four against the all-conquering Blaugranas, with the Uruguayan forward netting a brace.