Bayern Munich and Besiktas were just playing out the string in their lopsided Champions League round-of-16 second-leg tie in Istanbul on Wednesday when the game suddenly kicked into life.
With style, grace, agility and a flair for the dramatic, a miniature figure suddenly took the game by the scruff of the neck and instantly commanded everyone in the stadium's full attention.
No, Lionel Messi didn't magically transport from Barcelona to Turkey and take the field -- it was a cat! ... and it was on the field!
And oh, what a captivating cat it was...
More Garfield than Sylvester (but not nearly as lazy), this fleet-footed feline stopped the game for a number of minutes as players and stewards struggled -- and largely failed -- to put Kitty in a corner (and get it off the field).
Don't believe us the cat's performance wasn't THAT good? Well, ask Bayern fans, who overwhelmingly voted the cat as the Man of the Match.
We can't make this stuff up.