Barcelona's Flick Lodges Complaint Over Atletico Pitch Conditions
Barcelona manager Hansi Flick has lodged a formal complaint with UEFA over the state of the pitch at the Metropolitano Stadium ahead of the club's Champions League quarter-final second leg against Atletico Madrid, according to reports from Spain. The complaint, filed with the UEFA delegate, alleges that the grass at the Wanda Metropolitano was too long and too dry ahead of the crucial Champions League second leg.
According to Spanish outlet El Desmarque, Flick was seen in discussions with the UEFA match delegate, Christian Kofoed, on the pitch during Barcelona's training session on Monday. The manager and his staff are reported to have taken issue with the length and condition of the playing surface, which they believe could impede their team's preferred style of play. The report from El Desmarque indicates that Flick and his staff found the grass to be excessively long and dry, a complaint they formally raised with the UEFA delegate on site.
Spanish daily Marca corroborated the report, adding that the complaint was officially submitted. The report notes that UEFA regulations stipulate that the grass on a Champions League pitch should not exceed three centimeters in length. The German coach is said to have pointed out several areas of the pitch he deemed unacceptable for the high-stakes match. In response, Atletico Madrid have assured that the pitch will be in optimal condition for the match, a sentiment echoed by Marca's report that the club has taken steps to ensure the surface meets the required standards for the crucial fixture.
The timing of the complaint adds another layer of tension to an already high-stakes encounter. The two sides drew the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final 2-2 at the Camp Nou, leaving the tie delicately poised. Barcelona will be looking to avoid a repeat of their 2020 exit at the hands of Atletico in the quarter-finals of the same competition. The state of the pitch could influence the style of play, with a slower, higher-cut surface potentially hindering Barcelona's preferred quick, short-passing game. Atletico Madrid, known for their intense, physical, and defensively robust style under Diego Simeone, may find a slower, less pristine surface less of a disadvantage.
This is not the first time pitch conditions have been a point of contention in elite football, but a formal complaint at this stage of the Champions League is unusual. UEFA will now consider the complaint, though it is considered highly unlikely that the match, a marquee fixture in the European football calendar, would be postponed or relocated. The focus now shifts to whether the surface, after any potential last-minute adjustments, will have any bearing on the outcome of this finely balanced tie.
