Real Madrid has hit back at Manchester City for comments about the turf of its Bernabeu stadium, with AS citing anonymous sources from the club the day after a Champions League quarter final first leg clash between the two European giants.
Following a thrilling 3-3 draw which sets up another potential barnburner in Manchester next week, to decide who heads through to the last four, City boss Pep Guardiola was at his sarcastic best with backhanded compliments about Los Blancos' recently-renovated stadium made to Movistar and in his post-match press conference.
The action was enjoyed with a closed roof over the iconic ground, and when asked what he thought about playing in such circumstances, Guardiola answered: "I like to see the sky, but the truth is that the stadium is impressive. Now they just have to take care of the grass."
"Don't take it the wrong way, it's an impressive piece of work. When I was playing, the Bernabeu grass was a carpet, a carpet, but hey, I guess they'll fix it," the ex-FC Barcelona manager added.
To Spanish broadcaster Movistar, Guardiola praised the Bernabeu again but had similar digs by saying "Now they only have to improve the grass" and quipping that Real Madrid president Florentino Perez "only has to worry about making a good pitch."
In his own comments to the press, midfielder Rodri registered the same complaint.
"It wasn't good for the way we play," the Spaniard said of the pitch. "I think it's hurt us a little bit. We don't make excuses, but it wasn't right. Many times from above you can't see the perspective, sometimes it seems that a field is fine and at the foot of the pitch you realize that it is not."
Rodri said that the ball would "spit" during the match on a pitch that "wasn't event, so to speak".
"But hey, it's no excuse. The Bernabeu has always been like a doormat, they always provide the best conditions, in that sense we have no complaints," he concluded on the matter.
In the aftermath of the stalemate, though, Real Madrid has expressed its "surprise" about City's complaints.
"The pitch at the Bernabeu is not a 10, but it is an 8. I wish every pitch had this turf," an anonymous source told AS.
Want to know more about livetscore check out our article
Real Madrid is also surprised because nothing was said about the pitch in official reports from UEFAEFA 0.0%, and that the turf of its ground has been deemed unsatisfactory when it hasn't been touched by professional players since March 31 when Rodrygo scored a brace to beat Copa del Rey winners Athletic Club 2-0.