Barcelona manager Hansi Flick breathed a sigh of relief ahead of the highly anticipated Champions League clash against Atlético Madrid after UEFA responded to his urgent complaint regarding the pitch conditions.
Flick had raised the issue during the final training session, objecting to the height of the grass and its direct impact on his team’s style of play. This reflects the sensitivity and importance of the match in the Champions League.
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During the morning technical meeting between representatives of both clubs and UEFA officials, it was officially agreed that the grass height would be set at 26 mm, lower than the maximum allowed (30 mm). The agreement also stipulated that the pitch would be watered before kickoff and at half-time to ensure the best possible playing conditions.
Flick’s concerns were not merely minor; they stemmed from a previous experience in which Barcelona suffered due to poor pitch conditions at Atlético’s stadium. In a previous encounter, an unexpected bounce led to a crucial goal after Eric García’s pass to goalkeeper Juan García, before the ball took an unusual and unexpected bounce that the goalkeeper could not control.
With this decision, Barcelona enters the anticipated confrontation with an important technical advantage, at a time when pressure is increasing ahead of one of the toughest matches of the tournament, which may define the next stage of the team’s European journey.
