Weird Week in Football: Mucky, sucky, and a bit unlucky

Every Monday, theScore will highlight the most outlandish moments from the wacky, sometimes daft, and perennially entertaining world of football. Here's what made us smile - or cringe - on the pitch this past week.

When it comes to all things bizarre in football, the more the merrier, and thankfully, this past week was not short on the kooky.

As the adage goes, there's strength in numbers, and one needn't look any further for proof than the pathetic turnout for the Alexis Sanchez protest in Chile.

With listless displays in mind, here's a look at the Weird Week in Football:

Muddy Moura's shot stopped by sloppy pitch

Paris Saint-Germain attacker Lucas Moura was robbed of either his 16th goal in all comps or saved from the pitfalls of chagrin associated with a narrow miss after the Brazilian's second-half Coupe de France effort against second-tier Niort was thwarted by a muddy pitch.

On the topic of mud, Borussia Dortmund's quarter-final DFB-Pokal clash with Cinderella side Sportfreunde Lotte on Tuesday hung in the balance as the Bundesliga lot's voyage was mired by sodden conditions.

Thankfully for Thomas Tuchel and co., a local farmer came to the club's aid with a tractor that retrieved the bogged-down bus. Unfortunately, Die Borussen discovered Sportfreunde's ground was equally mired in swampy conditions upon their arrival.

Stindl swindles then rekindles

Arguably one of Europe's in-form attackers, Monchengladbach's Lars Stindl has eight goals in eight matches in all comps. Though, while he's a certain hit with Die Fohlen supporters, the club's younger fans have a bone to pick with him.

That is until after the DFB-Pokal win over Hamburg when the club's notoriously entertaining Twitter account snapped a pick of Stindl with a kit booked for a date with the mascot left hanging by the oblivious goal-machine.

Arsenal trio mimic refs, suck at that too

Arsenal threesome Olivier Giroud, Nacho Monreal, and Petr Cech got to see how the other half lives during a video segment where the group of Gunners were for once blowing whistles and not results.

Former Premier League ref Mark Halsey was between the sticks for one of the Sunday league sides, and despite a mid-section that resembled a zeppelin rife with chip butties, the ex-official displayed mobility that Cech could only dream of.

(Photos courtesy: Reuters)