Former Chelsea manager André Villas-Boas reunited with Hulk in the Chinese Super League

In a parallel universe, the AVB & HULK story — better love story than Twilight, surely — includes a chapter set in West London, under the bright Stamford Bridge lights, with European glories and Premier League trophies bursting out of an overflowing trophy cabinet.

Alas, that never came to be in this universe we call reality.

For André Villas-Boas's brief few years in England, first at Chelsea, then at Spurs, Hulk remained in Portugal and then transferred to Zenit St. Petersburg.  A year later, AVB joined him in Russia, where they enjoyed yet another fruitful partnership and brought their joint trophy haul to something like six or seven, including the Europa League in 2010-11.

They both left Russia in the summer, going their separate ways. On Friday, Villas-Boas was announced as the new manager of Shanghai SIPG, replacing Sven Goran-Eriksson.  Guess who's SIPG's biggest star?  That's right, HULK!

BREAKING! #ShanghaiSIPG name Andre Villas-Boas as their new head coach replacing Sven-Goran Eriksson #TheAFC #OAOG #Football #Asia pic.twitter.com/Rn4XK1CTSu

— The-AFC.com (@theafcdotcom) November 4, 2016

Best of luck to the boy scout on this new adventure.