Why did Barcelona complain to UEFA about Atletico Madrid’s pitch conditions ahead of Champions League decider?
(Courtesy : LaLiga)
The Catalan club will be looking to mount a comeback in the second leg.
Before their Champions League quarterfinal match, Barcelona had expressed concerns to UEFA regarding the length of the grass at Atletico Madrid’s Metropolitano Stadium. During the team’s last training session, Hansi Flick was observed talking about the matter with the UEFA match delegate.
In the video, Flick was seen discussing the height of the grass at Metropolitano Stadium while pointing to the turf. Before the pivotal European match, rumours circulated that Barcelona were dissatisfied with the state of the pitch.
Blaugrana officials then confirmed that no formal complaint had been filed, according to AS. The club did, however, clarify that Flick had brought up his concerns with UEFA authorities, who then carried out their standard pre-match pitch inspection procedures.
Barcelona complains about the long grass at Atletico Madrid’s Metropolitano Stadium
According to the same source, Atletico denied rumors that their pitch surface had issues prior to the second leg match. They said that compared to a month before, the grass was in good shape, if not better. Los Rojiblancos also noted that the Metropolitano’s surface quality has been preserved thanks to Madrid’s recent milder temperatures.
Following Barcelona’s most recent visit to the stadium during the first leg of their Copa del Rey semi-final match, attention shifted to the field, prompting the response. Atletico’s 4-0 thrashing began when the ball unexpectedly bounced for Joan García during the first goal.
The second leg of Barcelona and Atletico’s Champions League quarterfinal match will now take place at the Metropolitano, with Atletico leading 2-0.
Flick’s team lead LaLiga by nine points right now, but another cup loss to Atletico would be devastating for the Blaugrana. They will be looking for a much better performance to achieve an unforgettable comeback.
What time will the game be played?
It will be played at 12:30 am IST on 15th April.
What’s the score going into the second leg?
Atletico are 2 goals up from the first leg.
Who has better H2H in the Champions League?
Atletico have won three games in five matches against Barca.
For more updates, follow Khel Now on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram; download the Khel Now Android App or IOS App and join our community on Telegram.
After earning a bachelor's degree in mass media, Rajarshi began his career as a sports writer in 2019, driven by his passion for sports journalism. He has been working in the field for over six years. A devoted fan of Lionel Messi and Barcelona, Rajarshi has been involved in sports since childhood. Before turning his focus to journalism, he even represented his college at the state level. Along with covering football, he enjoys playing the game, watching movies, and experimenting with new recipes in his spare time, as cooking is one of his favorite hobbies.