Barcelona complain about Milan pitch
Reuters - Thursday 29 March 2012, 13:22
Barcelona have lodged an
official complaint with organisers UEFA about the state of the
pitch at the San Siro for Wednesday's 0-0 Champions League
quarter-final first leg draw with AC Milan.
Players continually slipped on the surface and chunks of
turf came loose at regular intervals as the Serie A side
frustrated the holders ahead of Tuesday's return leg at the Nou
Camp.
"[Barcelona] passed the matter over to UEFA delegate Mikalai
Varabyov at the post-match meeting," the Spanish team said in a
statement on Thursday.
"Varabyov has included the complaint in his report and UEFA
will demand an explanation from the Italian club.
"In the end we adapt to everything ... but it's clear that
this was a problem for the spectacle," said Barca coach Pep
Guardiola in his post-game news conference.
AC Milan vice-president Adriano Galliani acknowledged the
pitch needed resurfacing and said they were in talks with Inter
Milan, the club they share the stadium with, to find a solution.
"At the end of the season if we have an agreement it can be
done," Galliani told the Italian sports daily La Gazzetta dello
Sport. "I'll fight for this new pitch."