"Pitches Unplayable." That's the dreaded notice for any sporting organisation at this time of the year, from Leinster Schools' rugby right up to, say . . ., the Spanish Football League. But you can't always blame the weather.

The current problem for Atletico Madrid and their Vicente Calderon pitch, for example, stemmed from a more unexpected source. Flocks of pigeons swooped on areas around the goalmouths just before the kick-off of Atletico Madrid's match against Espanyol last weekend, pecking at the grass and leaving large areas of nothing but dirt.

Embarrassed Atletico officials have admitted the pigeons have become a persistent nuisance. All efforts to discourage them - including leaving dead pigeon carcasses on the pitch and introducing cats to the stadium - have so far been in vain. "We are looking for another solution," an Atletico official gently suggested.

It is not the first time the Vicente Calderon pitch has suffered recent damage. Two seasons ago the pitch was left unplayable for several weeks after a stormy rock concert from a certain group called U2.