Conditions hurt Arsenal as Wright says pitch a 'disgrace'

BBC News19-03-2025

Arsenal boss Renee Slegers says the "next step for women's football" is to have better pitches after Gunners legend Ian Wright described the surface at Real Madrid's Estadio Alfredo di Stefano as a "disgrace".Wright made his feelings known during Arsenal's 2-0 Women's Champions League quarter-final first-leg defeat in Spain's capital.Playing conditions at the home of Real Madrid men's reserves deteriorated at a rapid rate, making free-flowing football difficult for both sides.Wright's criticism on social media came after complaints from Chelsea players and pundits about the pitch for the Women's League Cup final at Derby County's Pride Park last Saturday.Former Netherlands midfielder Slegers admitted the tough conditions against Real Madrid played their part in her side's defeat on Tuesday.The return leg will be played at Arsenal's Emirates Stadium on 26 March.Asked whether Real Madrid's main Bernabeu stadium should have been used for the first leg, Slegers added: "It's not on me to criticise."It's obviously a club decision and I'm sure that Uefa is trying to create the best conditions for the tournament. Of course, the weather is not always in our control."But I think we've seen a couple of games lately where the pitch conditions haven't been great and I think that's the next step for women's football to take."Slegers, who was appointed permanent Arsenal head coach in January after an impressive interim spell, added: "We knew the condition of the pitch. We spoke about it with the players before the game."So we had a plan for it, but then it's always hard because over a season and over time you work on things and you have an identity, the way you want to do things."So then reality comes and these conditions come and all of a sudden you need to do things differently so that's hard."
What did Wright say?
Former England striker Wright, who scored 185 goals in 288 appearances for Arsenal between 1991 and 1998, posted a video on social media during the women's team's game on Tuesday.The conditions in Madrid were not helped by heavy rain that caused the pitch to easily cut up."Watching the Champions League quarter-final. Real Madrid's pitch - this is worse than Derby's pitch the other day in the Conti Cup final," added Wright."This is a disgrace the pitches these girls have to play on."Former Leeds striker Lucy Ward, who was working on the match for TNT Sports, was also critical."I'm watching players who usually deal with the ball well, struggle to come to terms with it in these first 10 minutes," she said."This pitch is awful."Last Saturday Chelsea midfielder Erin Cuthbert said Derby's Pride Park pitch was "not fit for a final" after her side beat Manchester City 2-1.Chelsea boss Sonia Bompastor added: "I'm not sure if it was a men's final game it would be the same. We just need to make sure we have the best facilities and grass to play the games."
'It needs to be better'
Former England striker Ellen White says it is important for women's football that the standard of pitches improves – to help both the product and for the safety of the players.Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live's Women's Football Weekly podcast, White said: "We've seen the men's League Cup final at Wembley, and I'm not saying it has to be at Wembley, but I just think to keep growing our game and the standards you know [we need to] keep hammering that home that I think it needs to be better, it needs to be looked at."Unlike the men's League Cup final, which is played at Wembley, the women's has no permanent home, with organisers wanting to bring the event to different areas of the country.Former Arsenal defender Jen Beattie, speaking on the same programme, said the state of the pitch for Saturday's cup final overshadowed the match."Ultimately, we're trying to get the best product of football, it's a huge game, two great footballing teams and you want it to be a good spectacle to watch," Beattie said."I still enjoyed watching it, don't get me wrong, but it's hard when the conversation after the game is about the pitch, and not about the players and highlighting the performances and how good they are as players, that was the frustration for me."

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Nicolas Jackson apologises for sending off against Flamengo

North Wales Chronicle

an hour ago

North Wales Chronicle

Nicolas Jackson apologises for sending off against Flamengo

The 24-year-old was sent off for raking his studs down the shin of Lucas Ayrton just four minutes after coming on as Enzo Maresca's side collapsed in the second half. 'I want to say sorry. To the club, the staff, my team-mates, and all the fans watching, I let you down,' said Jackson, who was sent off against Newcastle in their third-last Premier League match. 68' You can't script Jackson subbed on… and sent off 4 minutes later 🟥😱 Watch the @FIFACWC | June 14 – July 13 | Every Game | Free | | #FIFACWC #TakeItToTheWorld #FLACHE — DAZN Football (@DAZNFootball) June 20, 2025 'Another red card… And honestly, I'm so angry at myself. I work hard every day to help the team not to put us in this kind of situation. 'I still don't fully understand how it happened. But one thing is clear: it wasn't intentional. Just a moment in football that went the wrong way. 'No excuses. I take full responsibility. I'll reflect, I'll grow, and I'll come back stronger for the badge and for everyone who believes in me. 'Sorry. Sorry, Sorry.' When Maresca was asked about Jackson's challenge and his recent indiscipline he told DAZN: 'It was a red card, so nothing to say.' However, Chelsea defender Marc Cucurella admitted it was something the 24-year-old had to improve. 'He is young player, he has a lot of quality, he maybe needs to improve this a little bit. We are here to improve, we are not perfect so it is part of the game,' he said. The Blues were leading through Pedro Neto's 13th-minute strike but after second-half goals from Bruno Henrique and Danilo in quick succession Jackson saw red and Wallace Yan scored the Brazil side's third. Maresca put the damaging defeat down to 'trying something new' for next season. 65' ABSOLUTE SCENES: Danilo scores and @Flamengo_en complete their comeback under just 3 minutes 😱 Watch the @FIFACWC | June 14 – July 13 | Every Game | Free | | #FIFACWC #TakeItToTheWorld #FLACHE — DAZN Football (@DAZNFootball) June 20, 2025 'It completely changed the game. Unfortunately we conceded two goals in a short moment and then the red card and then I think it is complicated to get back into the game,' the Chelsea boss added. 'We tried – but congratulations to them. They deserved to win. 'We tried to do something different in the game, for next season and for the future.'