Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola continued his tense relationship with the media following their draw against Real Madrid on Tuesday night.
While there was discussion about closing the roof at the Santiago Bernabeu to control noise, Guardiola believed Real Madrid President Florentino Perez should have prioritized other improvements.
Before the match, Guardiola was asked whether his players would try to provoke Vinicius Junior into receiving a yellow card, leading to his suspension for the return leg. This suggestion did not sit well with Guardiola.
After the game, Guardiola faced further questions about the roof, but he redirected the focus to the quality of the pitch. He expressed a preference for playing under open skies but acknowledged the impressive stadium.
However, he emphasized the need for improvements in pitch quality, stressing the importance of having a good playing surface.
Rodri Hernandez echoed Guardiola’s sentiments, mentioning that the poor condition of the pitch had some impact on Manchester City, although he emphasized that it was not an excuse for their performance.
Reports also suggested that the Real Madrid squad shared similar frustrations with the pitch quality. This has been a longstanding issue at the Bernabeu, exacerbated by renovation work around the stadium.
During Guardiola’s time at Barcelona, it was often suspected that Real Madrid deliberately maintained longer grass and provided less water to slow down the ball’s movement.
This tactic was a source of frustration for Guardiola and Xavi Hernandez, and Guardiola evidently felt that the pitch standards were lacking once again on Tuesday.
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