The playing surface at the Santiago Bernabéu is continuing to act as a source of concern, ahead of Sunday’s highly-anticipated showdown between Real Madrid and Barcelona.
Spanish football’s two biggest clubs are of course primed to lock horns in 24 hours’ time, in a crunch top-of-the-table clash.
Should hosts Real emerge triumphant, their status as La Liga champions will be all but confirmed, by way of an 11-point advantage atop the standings.
On the other hand, should Barcelona defy the odds to secure victory, Xavi’s troops will close the gap to a not-insurmountable five points.
In efforts towards as much, however, both sides look set to be forced to contend with an altogether unwanted obstacle.
This comes in the form of the Bernabéu pitch.
As per a report from Relevo, the condition of the playing surface in Spain’s capital remains far from ideal.
After Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola made public his disappointment with the turf on the back of his side’s Champions League quarter-final visit to Madrid earlier this month, alarm bells were set ringing behind the scenes at the Bernabéu.
Real’s groundsmen have in turn spent the near-fortnight since doing their utmost to ensure that the pitch is at its best.
Despite such efforts, however, Relevo note that Los Blancos ‘assume that the grass’ appearance may still be irregular in some areas’.
The hope is that as much will not have a major bearing on the flow of Sunday’s Clásico, but the truth is that this will only be verified upon Real Madrid and Barcelona taking to the pitch in 24 hours’ time.
Conor Laird | GSFN
