La Blaugrana coach Hansi Flick admits his side have discussed how to deal with the problem
Barcelona manager Hansi Flick says he is well aware of the condition of the pitch at the Metropolitan Stadium ahead of Barcelona’s upcoming matches against Atletico Madrid, and that he and his players are taking precautions.
La Blaugrana are set to play twice at Atletico’s home ground within the next 10 days, and the playing surface has drawn attention following recent matches, including Atletico’s comprehensive Copa del Rey home victory over Barcelona and their Champions League clash with Tottenham Hotspur.
There has been speculation in fact that the pitch conditions may be deliberately maintained in a way that affects visiting teams. Tottenham players infamously slipped on the pitch as Atletico thrashed them 5-2 last month.
Speaking on Friday ahead of Barcelona’s La Liga game against Diego Simeone’s side, Flick confirmed he has already addressed the situation with his players and they are prepared for possible adjustments.
”We’ve talked about it,” said Flick. “I’ve told the players that we need to look into this and they might have to change their boots. They need to prepare and adapt.
“Yes, it’s a match against one of the best teams in the league and in Europe. Therefore, they have a lot of quality and any player can decide the game. It’s very important not to make as many mistakes as in the last match there. I liked today’s training session and there are two very important months ahead.”
