Carles Perez, a 27-year-old Spanish footballer who formerly played for Barcelona, was hospitalized in Greece after a dog bite to his genitals. The incident occurred on Wednesday, July 30, 2025, while Perez was walking his own dog in Thermi, Thessaloniki.

Reports indicate that another unleashed dog attacked Perez's dog, and as Perez intervened to separate the animals, he sustained a severe bite to his groin area. Some reports initially described the injury as damage to his genitals. However, later clarifications from the player's staff stated that the bite was localized in the adductor area and did not directly damage the genitals.

Perez was immediately rushed to a private clinic in Panorama, near Thessaloniki, where he received treatment. Medical staff administered six stitches to close the wound. Initially, surgical intervention was considered due to the severity of the injury. However, after an urgent examination, doctors determined that surgery was not necessary.

Following the incident, Perez was kept under observation in the hospital for over 24 hours. He has since been discharged and is expected to undergo rehabilitation therapy. The injury is expected to sideline him for several weeks, forcing him to miss upcoming fixtures for his current team, Aris Thessaloniki. This includes a UEFA Europa Conference League qualifier against Araz-Naxçıvan PFK. Aris is attempting to overturn a 2-1 deficit in the tie.

Aris Thessaloniki has publicly expressed their support for Perez and announced plans to explore legal action against the owner of the dog that attacked him. The incident has prompted an outpouring of shock and sympathy from teammates, fans, and the broader football community.

Carles Perez began his football career in the youth ranks of RCD Espanyol before joining FC Barcelona's youth system in 2012. He debuted for Barcelona B in 2015 and broke into the first team during the 2019-2020 season, playing in 13 matches and scoring goals in both La Liga and the UEFA Champions League. In January 2020, Perez moved to AS Roma, winning the UEFA Europa Conference League with the Italian side. He later returned to Spain to play for Celta Vigo and Getafe before being loaned to Aris Thessaloniki.

Marinos Ouzounidis, the manager of Aris, confirmed that Perez was initially planned to be in the starting lineup for the upcoming match. Ouzounidis has shifted his focus to finding alternative solutions and emphasized the importance of team resilience.