Carlo Ancelotti criticises 'problem' with Bernabeu pitch
Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti has been critical of the playing surface at the Bernabeu in the wake of Los Blancos’ 2-0 win over Celta Vigo on Saturday, expressing his hope the ‘problem’ will be resolved by the time Manchester City visit in the Champions League next month.
Real managed to win the game against Celta thanks to goals from Marco Asensio and Eder Militao either side of half-time. But Ancelotti wasn’t happy with the grass and confirmed that work is already being carried out on the pitch.
“The grass has a problem, they are working on it and hopefully they can find a solution,” Ancelotti said. “It is clear that the work is affecting it. It is not surprising. It is suffering. It will change, naturally, before City.”
That game against Manchester City, the first leg of the Champions League semi-final, will be played in the Spanish capital on Tuesday 9 May. Three days earlier, Real will contest the Copa del Rey final for against Osasuna in a bid to lift the trophy for the first time since 2014.
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A title in La Liga is still perhaps too far out of reach with an eight-point gap to Barcelona, who have a game extra to play on Sunday, even if that gap has been cut since defeat in El Clasico last month.
But Real will be hoping to retain the Champions League crown they recaptured last season as they hunt for a record-extending 15th European title.
Los Blancos remain the only team in the Champions League era to have successfully retained the trophy, having won three in a row from 2015/16 to 2017/8.
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