A pig’s head was thrown onto the pitch by a fan during one of Brazil’s biggest derby matches.
The shocking incident occurred during the feisty affair between Corinthians and Palmeiras at the Neo Quimica Arena.
The dead animal was lobbed in the direction of Palmeiras player Raphael Veiga as he stepped up to take a corner during the first half.
Corinthians forward Yuri Alberto ran over to kick the pig’s head off the pitch before it was taken away properly by stadium staff.
‘I almost broke my foot,’ Alberto, who scored Corinthians’ second in a 2-0 win on Monday, told Globo Esporte afterwards.
‘I thought it was something else, a cushion, but it was a pig’s head, I almost hurt myself.’
Reports in Brazil indicate that two men were arrested in connection with the vile act but were later released without charge.
A video has since emerged on social media showcasing the alleged perpetrator with a pig in their bag, although the account does not show the face of the fan.
Monday’s incident comes 22 years after a similar episode when a pig’s head was thrown at Real Madrid’s Luis Figo during El Classico after the Portuguese winger’s decision to move from arch-rivals Barcelona to Real.
The episode in Brazil, meanwhile, is born out of the fact that Palmeiras fans refer to their rivals as ‘pigs’, a term first reportedly used in 1976 when Corinthians President Wadih Helu called his opposite number a pig after they refused to suspend a game between the two sides following the death of two Corinthians players.
The insult became popularised to such an extent that Palmeiras decided to lean into the insult. During a match in October 1986, they responded to chants of ‘pig’ from Santos fans by shouting: ‘Come On Pig!! Come On Pig!! Olé Olé Olé…’, and, ‘Go Pig’ towards their own team.’
A month later, Palmeiras player Jorginho was pictured on the front cover of Placar football magazine holding a piglet in his arms.
And in 2016, the club went even further, adopting Gobbato the pig as their second mascot, alongside Periquito the parakeet.
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