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A tale of two pitches - the surface tension builds for the Champions League Final
Last updated at 17:41pm on 08.05.08Manchester United feared their title bid might be wrecked by a cabbage patch in Wigan but perhaps they ought to be more concerned about the surface in Moscow ahead of the Champions League Final on Wednesday week. The pitch at Wigan's JJB Stadium has been heavily criticised this season. Arsenal goalkeeper Manuel Almunia claimed it was the worst he had seen in his professional career after the his side drew there in March.
United visit on Sunday, when a win will be enough to retain the Barclays Premier League crown. Although it remains far from pristine, Sir Alex Ferguson will be relieved to see a healthy covering of grass.
Dirty tactics: Remember how Wigan's pitch looked when Chelsea came to town?
The JJB pitch was at its worst in December and January for games against Aston Villa and Everton and was pretty grim for Chelsea's win in the FA Cup six days after Everton's visit.
But the surface has improved, thanks to a few days of sunshine and a fortnight without a home game for either Wigan's football or rugby league teams, who share the stadium. Wigan chairman Dave Whelan even ordered the Warriors to move their cup match from Friday to Monday.
United may find it is still not good enough for their slick passing game and Ferguson will surely have a comment to make if his team trip up and allow Chelsea to snatch the title on the final day of the season.
Sod's law: Wigan's pitch looked almost like a billiard table
Both he and Chelsea manager Avram Grant will also be keeping an eye on developments in Russia, where a new grass pitch, grown specifically to replace the artificial surface at Moscow's Luzhniki Stadium, had to be ripped up almost as soon as it was laid.
Another pitch has been bought from Slovakia at a cost of £160,000 and was hastily imported last week in a bid to have it ready for the Champions League Final between United and Chelsea.
England lost their vital Euro 2008 qualifier on the Luzhniki plastic last year but UEFA insisted their showpiece final must be played on grass.
The Russian authorities had been nurturing the grass in Moscow for nine months and took it to the stadium in 6,000 small squares of turf. But as soon as it was laid, the patchwork effect made it too bumpy and uneven.
Turf going: Groundsmen in Moscow are struggling to get the new surface at the Luzhniki Stadium ready for the European Cup Final
It was ripped out and the Slovakian pitch was still in the process of being rolled out when officials from United and Chelsea went to inspect facilities last week. The two Premier League clubs will reserve judgment on the surface until they arrive in the Russian capital ahead of the final.
British groundsman Matthew Frost had been in Moscow for months, supervising the grass which will no longer be used. He promised it would be a 'Rolls-Royce of a football pitch' but has discovered it will now be used for landscaping around the stadium.
"We put it in and then we took it out again," said Frost, from Sheffield. "It was always the wrong selection of turf and I said so nine months ago. But I am an advisor and all I can do is advise. It is a normal situation in Russia."
