The second leg of the Champions League quarter-final between Atletico Madrid and Barcelona will be played tonight at the Metropolitano Stadium in Madrid.
Diego Simeone’s team has a two-goal advantage from the first leg 0-2, but the Catalans certainly won’t go in with a white flag, and according to reports, they are even going for a remontada (comeback).
However, Barcelona raised concerns with UEFA regarding the height of the grass at the Metropolitano Stadium, with coach Hansi Flick discussing the issue with a UEFA delegate during his team’s last training session.
A video emerged showing Flick pointing at the pitch at the Metropolitano Stadium and discussing the height of the grass with one of the referees, fuelling speculation that Barcelona were unhappy with the state of the pitch ahead of a crucial European clash.
According to AS, Catalan club officials later clarified that no official complaint had been filed. However, they confirmed that Flick passed on his observations to UEFA delegates, who then carried out the usual pre-match pitch inspection protocols.
The same report says Atletico have dismissed suggestions that the pitch is problematic ahead of the second leg, with the Madrid club claiming the grass is in good condition, if not significantly better than it was a month ago.
They also pointed out that the higher temperatures in Madrid in recent weeks have contributed to maintaining the quality of the grass at the Metropolitano.
