Erling Haaland’s goal-scoring prowess is down to a lucky pasta dish from his favourite Italian restaurant…and now half the Premier League are hooked too.
The 23-year-old striker pops into Vero Moderno once a week for his secret meal.
The pasta, cream, and mushroom meal has been dubbed ‘the hat trick pasta’ by owner Beppe Piccoli.
He scored three times after eating for the first time when he signed for Man City last season.
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Since then boss Pep Guardiola and team-mates Jack Grealish, Rodri, and Julian Alvarez have eaten there.
Fellow City aces Manuel Akanji, Rúben Dias and Sergio Gomez have too.
But it hasn’t stopped there players from rival clubs are tucking into Beppe’s pasta too.
André Onana of arch-rivals Man United has tucked into Italian grub at the eatery in Salford, Gtr Mancs.
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As did Brentford defender Sergio Reguilon during his loan spell at Old Trafford from Tottenham.
Burnley’s Sander Berge has been too as has Sheffield United’s Vinicius Souza.
Some of the players are donating their shirts to the restaurant too.
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Describing the Haaland dish, boss Beppe said: “When I first gave it to him the very first time I met him, it was before the season kicked off.
“I said when you score a hat trick on Sunday please thank Beppe and Vero Moderno.
“He scored a hat trick, didn’t he.
“It was quite funny.
“Then he came back and asked for the same pasta and I said to him: “Last time you didn’t thank me. Please do it when you do another hattrick on Sunday.”
“Same pasta, another hat trick. He did another four or five in a row. That’s how everything started with him and we developed a big friendship.
“We joke about it now about the hattrick pasta. He’s a world-class player, a world-class guy. You can’t buy that.”
Regarding gaffer Pep’s visit, he added: “Always a great honour to have the Man City boss drop by; doing our bit to keep his genius mind in tip-top shape! World-class manager and a world-class guy.”
Beppe, from Rome, who opened his restaurant in 2017, said the connection with City all began when the club’s long-term Italian team doctor Max Sala came in for a bite to eat.
He added: “I think that’s how it started as they have three Italians working in the medicine department and they were looking for good, authentic Italian food.”
“They are all very good guys, and very kind and generous customers. They just want to be treated as normal customers and naturally we treat everyone in the same way here.”
