FC Barcelona’s expressions of dissatisfaction with the pitch at Atletico Madrid’s stadium have apparently not yielded the desired outcome.
According to Spanish media reports, UEFA did acknowledge Barcelona’s concerns and inspected the length of the grass at the Metropolitano. However, the turf is said to comply with the European football governing body’s regulations.
Consequently, Atletico is not required to cut the grass again immediately before the Champions League quarter-final second leg on Tuesday evening. Barcelona’s coach, Hansi Flick, had noted the length of the grass at the Metropolitano negatively during the final training session on Monday. The German coach reportedly voiced his complaints about precisely this issue to a UEFA delegate present.
Barcelona did not officially lodge a protest with UEFA but did convey their concerns about the pitch during the mandatory pre-match meeting with representatives from both clubs. UEFA is reported to have referred to protocol and assured the Catalans that the grass would be trimmed if necessary.
Barcelona’s Complaint Ineffective: Atletico’s Pitch Reportedly Meets Guidelines
The grass length, measured at 2.6 centimeters, is said to conform to UEFA’s statutes, which permit up to three centimeters. Therefore, Atletico will not need to take any further action before the match kicks off at 9 PM.
The condition of the playing surface is particularly important for Barcelona, as the Blaugrana aim to leverage their superior technical play against Atletico. A shorter pitch, traditionally only 2.3 centimeters at Camp Nou, allows players like Lamine Yamal and others to move the ball more effectively.
Earlier this year, even prominent Atletico players Koke and Antoine Griezmann had complained about the pitch at their home stadium. According to the Colchoneros, the issues, which were attributed to the cold winter months, have since been resolved.
Barcelona Aims to Overcome Atletico: ‘We Don’t Need a Miracle’
Following their disappointing 0-2 first-leg defeat against Atletico last week, Barcelona is hoping for a spectacular comeback. «We have many players capable of turning things around, and that’s why I have great confidence in our team,» stated attacking star Lamine Yamal optimistically on Monday. Flick emphasized: «We don’t need a miracle, just a good game. We have the quality. We have the players who can change this. Of course, we have to fight, but we need to focus on the special.»
Barcelona played with ten men for nearly a full half in the first leg, as defender Pau Cubarsi received a red card shortly before halftime. The goals for Atletico were scored by Julian Alvarez and Alexander Sörloth.
In the Copa del Rey this season, Barcelona had previously hoped for a turnaround against Atletico, but those hopes were unfulfilled. In the cup semi-finals, the LaLiga leaders lost the first leg in Madrid 0-4 in mid-February. Although Flick’s team sniffed a comeback in the second leg in early March, they ultimately only managed a 3-0 victory, and Atleti advanced to the final.