Ian Wright slams Real Madrid pitch | OneFootball

Ian Wright slammed Real Madrid for the disgraceful state of their pitch after Arsenal’s Champions League defeat, as Renee Slegers’ side struggled on the mud-soaked surface.

Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images

Ian Wright did not hold back. As Arsenal fell to a 2-0 defeat against Real Madrid in their Champions League quarter-final first leg, the legendary former striker turned his fury not towards the team’s performance, but the state of the pitch at the Estadio Alfredo Di Stéfano.

At half-time, Wright voiced his outrage in an Instagram post, calling the conditions “a f—— disgrace.” Comparing the pitch to Derby County’s notoriously poor surface from the recent League Cup final between Chelsea and Manchester City, he said: “Watching the Champions League quarter-final Real Madrid pitch, this is worse than Derby’s pitch the other day.”

He was not exaggerating. The playing surface was barely suitable for an amateur match, let alone a Champions League quarter-final. The heavy rain in Madrid had turned it into a muddy, uneven battlefield, punishing any attempt at fluid football.

Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images

The conditions directly contributed to Real Madrid’s first goal. Leah Williamson, attempting to control a pass, saw the ball take an awkward bounce off the torn-up grass. Linda Caicedo seized the opportunity, slotting home past Manuela Zinsberger. While Williamson will feel she should have done better, she had every right to be frustrated by the surface.

Renee Slegers, Arsenal’s head coach, acknowledged the impact of the conditions. “We knew the condition of the pitch,” she said. “So, 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.

“So, then reality comes and these conditions come and all of a sudden you need to do things differently, so that’s hard. But the players tried, so all credit to them for trying and their work rate. I think we’re all confident that we can do something against them at the Emirates.”

The pitch wasn’t just an issue for Arsenal. It also contributed to an injury for Melanie Leupolz, who twisted awkwardly when her studs got stuck in the mud.

Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images

But Arsenal could not blame the conditions for Real Madrid’s second goal. Athenea del Castillo was given far too much space on the edge of the area, and her shot, while well-struck, should have been kept out. Daphne van Domselaar, ruled out with a concussion, was sorely missed as Zinsberger could only get a weak hand to the ball before it nestled in the bottom corner.

With the return leg at the Emirates Stadium, Arsenal will hope for a vastly improved playing surface, and an equally improved performance. If they are to turn this tie around, they will need both.