April 10th 2024.
Pep Guardiola was not pleased with the condition of the pitch at the Santiago Bernabeu following Manchester City's draw against Real Madrid in the Champions League on Tuesday evening. The manager called on Madrid to improve the state of their pitch, urging them to "fix" it for future matches.
In the exciting quarter-final first leg, City's Bernardo Silva scored a quick goal just two minutes into the game, outsmarting Madrid's goalkeeper Andriy Lunin with a clever free kick. However, Madrid was quick to equalize 10 minutes later with a deflected goal from Eduardo Camavinga. They then took the lead with a goal from Rodrygo that slipped past City's goalkeeper Stefan Ortega.
City's Phil Foden managed to level the score in the 66th minute with a stunning long-range shot, followed by another impressive goal from Josko Gvardiol that put the visitors back in the lead. But Madrid was able to secure a draw with a brilliant volley from Federico Valverde with just 11 minutes remaining.
In an effort to improve the atmosphere, Madrid had opted to close the roof for the match. However, Guardiola was not satisfied with the state of the playing surface, as he explained after the game: "I haven't set foot on it, but that's what the players have told me." He clarified that his remarks were not meant to criticize Madrid or their president, but rather to express his disappointment with the pitch.
Guardiola recalled that Madrid's pitch has always been like a "carpet," but on this occasion, it did not meet his expectations. However, he was confident that Madrid would address the issue and have the pitch in perfect condition for future matches, saying, "I'm sure they will fix it, no doubt about it and no problem."
City midfielder Rodri agreed with Guardiola's assessment, stating that the pitch was not suitable for their style of play and it affected their performance. He added that sometimes, the pitch may seem fine from above, but once they were on it, they realized it was not up to standard. However, he was quick to mention that the Bernabeu has always provided the best conditions and that they have no complaints in that regard.
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