THE Europa League clash between Nice and Roma was greeted with the usual pre-match tradition of an eagle flying around the ground before kick-off.
Unfortunately, a mistimed sprinkler meant both the trainer and eagle got drenched.
Mefi the eagle and falconer Jean-Philippe Roman were both hit by a mistimed sprinkler[/caption]
Roman and Mefi were hit right in the face after a pre-match performance against Roma[/caption]
The eagle has been a pre-match tradition at home games for Nice since 2013[/caption]
Named Mefi, she was baptised in 2014[/caption]
TNT Sports commentators joked she did ‘not look crazy’ about getting soaked[/caption]
Nice co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe was also in attendance at the game[/caption]
The French outfit were hosting the first game of their Europa League campaign at the Allianz Riviera.
Co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe was also in attendance after he was spotted at Old Trafford for Manchester United‘s win over Chelsea on Saturday.
Ahead of kick-off, as has been tradition since 2013, Mèfi – a female eagle representing the club’s badge – was seen flying around the stadium.
As she landed on the arm glove of falconer Jean-Philippe Roman she was handed a tasty treat for her performance.
However, a mistimed sprinkler ambushed Roman and Mefi, leaving both drenched in water.
Roman could be seen shaking his Nice shirt and removing his earpiece to shake his head after the outburst of water hit him directly in the side of the head.
Mefi was also not spared from the sudden onslaught of the sprinkler and was also seen holding her wings out wide and flapping them to help air out her feathers and shake off the water.
As they walked off the pitch, Roman – who also trains brown bears and wolves – was all smiles.
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However, TNT Sports commentators Dave Farrar joked: “Not sure the eagle is crazy about that.”
Co-commentator Don Hutchinson added: “The sprinklers have done Mefi, poor old Mefi. You okay? Yeah she’s fine.”
Unfortunately, the result of the match was also a rain on the parade as visitors Roma won the game 2-1.
The result compounds a poor start to the season for the Ligue 1 side, having won two of their opening five matches in the French top flight, losing the other three.
Mefi got her name after the club, in partnership with the city, invited fans and schoolchildren to come up with a name in the 2013/14 season.
She was officially baptised with the moniker on 17 May 2014 before the kick-off of the game against Lyon.
Thousands of votes poured in, with 70 per cent backing the name ahead of the proposed runner-up, Nikaïa.
And Mefi has been a mainstay at every Nice home game ever since.
Mefi even travelled to Paris for the Coupe de France final in 2022, but Nice failed to end a 25-year trophy drought with a sickening 1-0 defeat to Nantes.
