SAO PAULO — Authorities in Brazil are currently looking into the actions of at least three soccer fans following an unusual incident during a heated league match between Corinthians and Palmeiras. This confrontation took place at the NeoQuimica Arena in Sao Paulo, where Corinthians secured a 2-0 victory over their rivals on Monday evening. However, the spotlight shifted away from the game’s outcome to a disturbing occurrence in the 39th minute while the score remained tied at 0-0.

As Palmeiras was getting ready for a corner kick, a pig’s head was suddenly hurled onto the field. Corinthians forward Yuri Alberto was quick to react, rushing over to remove the object. “I nearly injured myself. I thought it was just a cushion or something similar,” Alberto recounted after the match. “I tried to give it a strong kick, and then realized it was a pig’s head. It was quite a shock.”

According to investigator César Saad, the pig’s head had been smuggled into the stadium a few hours prior to the match. Police have interviewed two individuals regarding the matter and are actively searching for a third person who was seated nearby during the incident.

The origin of this antagonism can be traced back to an incident in 1969, when a car accident claimed the lives of two Corinthians players. Palmeiras was the only team that refused to assist Corinthians in signing new players during that season, leading to fans labeling their rivals as “pigs.” Over time, Palmeiras embraced the pig as part of its identity, adopting it as their mascot.

This episode drew parallels to a similar event in Spain in 2002 when Barcelona fans infamously threw a pig’s head onto the field during a “clasico” match. This was in relation to former Barcelona striker Luis Figo, who returned to the Camp Nou as a player for Real Madrid. The recurring theme of throwing pig heads has become a peculiar aspect of soccer rivalry history.