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Arsenal inspect the pitch at Atletico's stadium. |
Upon arriving at the stadium, Arsenal's coaching staff expressed dissatisfaction with the pitch, claiming the grass height exceeded the ideal level and could affect their playing style. The London club immediately requested an official inspection, forcing UEFA to conduct measurements just before the match.
Journalist Guillem Balague revealed on CBS Sports that Arsenal suspected manager Diego Simeone of deliberately "setting a trap" by letting the grass grow taller than usual to give Atletico Madrid an advantage. However, measurements showed the grass height was 26 mm, within UEFA's permitted limit (21 mm to 30 mm). Notably, this figure was similar to when Atletico hosted Barcelona previously.
Despite being a legal pitch, the Metropolitano Stadium pitch has posed considerable difficulties for visiting teams. In a recent away game, Tottenham faced significant problems when goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky made a mistake due to his inability to control the grass, forcing him to leave the field early. Defender Micky van de Ven also slipped in a dangerous situation, indirectly creating an opportunity for Atletico.
Entering the match on the morning of April 30th, Arsenal maintained the necessary focus. The "Gunners" took the lead thanks to a penalty from Viktor Gyokeres in the first half. However, Atletico responded after the break when Julian Alvarez also scored from the penalty spot, securing a 1-1 draw.
Arsenal left Spain with a not-so-bad result. The 1-1 draw gives the English side hope of reaching the final when they return home for the second leg on May 6th.
Source: https://znews.vn/arsenal-kiem-tra-mat-co-san-atletico-post1647652.html
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