Samuel cock-up cost Real Madrid Barcelona's Eto'o

Real Madrid could have signed Samuel Eto'o last season - it has been revealed.
 
Real were forced to sell Eto'o to Barcelona last year due to already having filled their non-European spots in their squad.

However, it's emerged Real could have registered Argentine Walter Samuel as a Spanish national six months after his signing in May 2004 thanks to his wife, Cecilia, a Spaniard.

Real president Florentino Perez has always maintained he had to sell Eto'o because he could not fit him into the squad last season, but the passport gaffe over Samuel, who had three years at Roma before moving to Madrid, is sure to heap more pressure on the club after news broke this week.