Casillas slams UEFA over pitch
Reuters - Wednesday 30 March 2011, 10:14
MADRID - Spain captain Iker Casillas
urged UEFA to worry more about the state of pitches than whether
teams were wearing the correct colour socks, after their Euro
2012 qualifier in Lithuania.
The Group I leaders won the match 3-1 to maintain their 100
percent record in qualifying, but had to adapt to a bumpy, muddy
playing surface that had been covered with a large amount of
sand in Kaunas's Darius and Girenas stadium.
"We've got three points on a pitch which is impossible to
play on. The pitch is a disaster," Spain's World Cup winning
goalkeeper told reporters.
"I think that sometimes we have to catch UEFA's attention,
because this is lamentable. We go and play where they tell us
to, but these football pitches don't help anyone to play this
sport. It isn't only this one.
"UEFA has to come out and look at them and worry much more
about pitches like this. They need to do much more, and not
stay in their seats behind a desk telling us we have to wear
pants and the same coloured socks.
"What they have to do is make sure the installations are in
a condition to play football."
Spain midfielder Xavi put the visitors ahead with a
deflected shot after 19 minutes and although Marius Stankevicius
rattled them with a superb volley early in the second half, they
were soon back in charge.
Tabas Kijanskas turned Juan Mata's cross into his own net
after 70 minutes and with the hosts tiring towards the end of the match, Mata
sped in to seal the points.