A brief and unusual pause occurred during Atlético Madrid’s 3–2 victory against Real Sociedad when a pigeon landed on the field and temporarily delayed the action.
A brief and unusual pause occurred during Atlético Madrid’s 3–2 victory against Real Sociedad when a pigeon landed on the field and temporarily delayed the action.
The incident took place in the 22nd minute when the bird, apparently struck by the ball, remained on the pitch. Players and officials halted play while the situation was addressed.
Defender José Giménez stepped in to deal with the unexpected interruption, calmly picking up the injured pigeon and carrying it away from the playing area to safety.
The brief moment created a memorable scene during an otherwise intense league encounter.
Following the match, Giménez described his reaction to the stoppage when speaking to Spanish media.
He explained that he initially asked the referee why the match had been halted. According to the Uruguayan defender, the official informed him the pause was due to the pigeon on the field.
Giménez responded with surprise, questioning whether the game had really been stopped because of the bird before deciding to intervene himself.
After lifting the pigeon from the grass, he said he was unsure whether there was a formal procedure for such situations but expressed hope that the animal had not suffered serious harm.
Aside from the unusual moment, Giménez also played a key role in the match itself. Earlier in the game he had already contributed by setting up Atlético’s opening goal.
The defender flicked on a long throw into the penalty area, allowing Alexander Sørloth to score just five minutes into the contest.
Carlos Soler quickly answered for Real Sociedad four minutes later, ensuring the game remained competitive.
Later in the match, Nicolás González struck twice, with Mikel Oyarzabal also getting on the scoresheet. The result helped the team managed by Diego Simeone strengthen their grip on third place in the league standings.
