Rodri joins Guardiola in complaining about Bernabeu's grass
Manchester City's Rodri Hernandez confirmed his manager Pep Guardiola's bad feelings about the pitch at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium in the first leg of the Champions League quarter-final. The Spanish midfielder stressed that the grass "lifted up" and that "it wasn't balanced".
7 months ago
Manchester City drew against Real Madrid in the most thrilling game of the season in the Champions League and perhaps in football's top flight in general. After the match, the Cityzens manager Pep Guardiola complained about the poor treatment of the pitch at the Santiago Bernabeu and even dared to take a dig at Florentino Perez. Rodri Hernandez, in statements in the mixed zone, backed up his coach's words on the pitch.
"It wasn't right. For the way we play, I think it hurt us a bit. We don't make excuses, but it wasn't right. A lot of times, from the top, you don't see the perspective. Sometimes, it looks like a pitch is fine and, on the pitch, you realise that it's not," said the Spanish midfielder in statements captured by the 'El Chiringuito' colleagues on the way out of the stadium.
"It would lift up, it wasn't balance, so to speak. But well, that's no excuse. The Bernabeu has always been like a carpet, they always put the best conditions; in that sense, we have no complaints," he added. It is understandable, then, that the grass was not in such a bad state that the former Atletico man believes that this is the reason why his side were left wanting to win the game.
Pep Guardiola and Rodri Hernandez's criticisms of the Santiago Bernabeu's turf will only make the fans more morbid ahead of the second leg at the Etihad Stadium, where the Real Madrid squad will probably demand a perfect turf. This is not to say that there is a bad feeling between two teams who have always shown mutual respect for each other.
"It wasn't right. For the way we play, I think it hurt us a bit. We don't make excuses, but it wasn't right. A lot of times, from the top, you don't see the perspective. Sometimes, it looks like a pitch is fine and, on the pitch, you realise that it's not," said the Spanish midfielder in statements captured by the 'El Chiringuito' colleagues on the way out of the stadium.
"It would lift up, it wasn't balance, so to speak. But well, that's no excuse. The Bernabeu has always been like a carpet, they always put the best conditions; in that sense, we have no complaints," he added. It is understandable, then, that the grass was not in such a bad state that the former Atletico man believes that this is the reason why his side were left wanting to win the game.
Pep Guardiola and Rodri Hernandez's criticisms of the Santiago Bernabeu's turf will only make the fans more morbid ahead of the second leg at the Etihad Stadium, where the Real Madrid squad will probably demand a perfect turf. This is not to say that there is a bad feeling between two teams who have always shown mutual respect for each other.
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