Wed. Mar 19th, 2025
Occasional Digest - a story for you

While Uefa has not made an official comment about the state of the pitch during Real Madrid v Arsenal, fierce criticism followed from players, managers and pundits.

Former Arsenal and England striker Ian Wright described the pitch as a “disgrace” in a video on his Instagram page.

Gunners manager Renee Slegers said she did not want to criticise Real Madrid or Uefa, but expressed her unhappiness.

“I think we’ve seen a couple of games lately where the pitch conditions haven’t been great,” she said after the match.

“We had a plan for it, but then it’s always hard because over a season and over time you work on things and you have an identity, the way you want to do things. Then reality comes and these conditions come and all of a sudden you need to do things differently, so that’s hard.”

Chelsea’s players were much less diplomatic after the women’s League Cup final.

“I don’t think this surface was fit for a final to be honest with you,” Scotland midfielder Erin Cuthbert told BBC One. “We didn’t play at our best but we just hung in there.”

Blues manager Sonia Bompastor added: “It is a shame to have this pitch for a final, especially when you expect in England to have the best groundsmen and pitches in the world.

“I’m not sure if it was a men’s final game it would be the same. We just need to make sure we have the best facilities and grass to play the games.”

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