The Sao Paulo derby between Corinthians and Palmeiras was remarkably interrupted by a pig's head being thrown onto the pitch on Monday night.<br /><br />The incident took place during the first half when Palmeiras lined up to take a corner, only for Corinthians forward Yuri Alberto to notice the pig's head on the touchline.<br /><br />A disgusted Alberto ran over to kick the head out of play before a woman took it away to place it behind an advertising hoarding.<br /><br />South American correspondent Tim Vickery gave his take on the extraordinary moment as he wrote on X: 'A new one on me - the big traditional Sao Paulo derby, Corinthians v Palmeiras and someone has thrown a pig's head on the field (the symbol of Palmeiras is a pig)'.<br /><br />Palmeiras was given the nickname 'pigs' by Corinthians fans in 1976 when Corinthians President Wadih Helu called his opposite number a pig after he refused to suspend a game between the two clubs following the death of two Corinthians players.<br /><br />Palmeiras fans responded by adopting the pig as their mascot in 1986. <br /><br />ESPN Brazil reported that two fans were arrested but were released due to a lack of evidence. An investigation remains ongoing as to how the pig's head got into the stadium.<br /><br />Corinthians went on to win the match 2-0, and Alberto revealed afterward that he almost injured himself by kicking the pig's head.<br /><br />'I almost broke my foot. I thought it was something else, a cushion, but it was a pig’s head, I almost hurt myself,' he told Globo Esporte.<br /><br />The shocking incident evoked memories of Luis Figo being targeted by a pig's head during El Clasico in November 2002.<br /><br />Figo had left Barcelona to join Real Madrid two years earlier in a move that left fans of the Catalan club furious.<br /><br />The Portuguese star was jeered throughout the 2002 clash and had a pig's head thrown at him when he went to take a corner.<br /><br />The match was subsequently suspended before resuming 16 minutes later.
