Few mascots in global football are as instantly recognisable as Mefi – the eagle of OGC Nice, echoing the club’s emblem and making a dramatic flight around the Allianz Riviera before kick-off.

This spectacle was once more featured ahead of Nice’s Europa League match against AS Roma on Thursday. What was intended as a show of power and pride quickly turned into a comical scene.

As Mefi descended toward her trainer, who was poised to reward her with a treat, one of the field sprinklers suddenly burst into full operation. Both bird and trainer were immediately soaked, with the jets so powerful that the trainer fumbled to extract his drenched in-ear headphones.

Momentarily, he appeared completely stunned before breaking into a smile and giving the audience a reassuring thumbs-up. Remarkably, Mefi seemed unperturbed by the unexpected drenching, continuing her routine gracefully – though it’s safe to say the eagle didn’t appreciate the untimely shower.

The blunder entertained the crowd with laughter, but for Franck Haise’s team, the night worsened thereafter. Nice suffered a 2-1 loss to Roma, observed by owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe – whose INEOS group also owns Manchester United.

Just as Mefi’s pre-match plan went awry, so too did Nice’s, leaving the home supporters drenched in disappointment rather than celebration.