Chelsea manager Maurizio Sarri has described the pitch for Thursday's Europa League fixture at Dynamo Kiev as a 'disaster' and warned it may lead to injuries for his players.
Chelsea have a three-goal advantage after comfortably defeating Kiev at Stamford Bridge last week in the first leg of their round of 16 tie. However, the club are considering an official complaint to UEFA after training on the pitch at the Olympic Stadium in Kiev on Wednesday night. Sarri and his staff were furious to encounter a surface that was breaking up in parts and frozen in certain areas.
Sarri also criticised the governing body for being extremely officious on bureaucratic matters but more lax when it comes to player safety on poor pitches.
Asked about the surface, Sarri said: 'A disaster. The pitch is not good. It's really dangerous to play any football here in this moment and I think it's really very dangerous for injuries. But the situation is this. There isn't another solution, but I cannot understand why Uefa are so, so [concerned] about having to present the player list at a certain minute, but then we have to play on such a bad pitch.
'I don't know the reason for the pitch: probably the winter. I played here two years ago and the pitch was wonderful. It's very, very dangerous.'
Midfielder Willian added: 'It will be difficult to play our football, but we have to do our best.
'We know we have to take care of ourselves tomorrow. Sometimes that's not possible and you get injuries.'
hasanbohra7
35
Don't give excuses like klopp man !
Hakbdipz
34
It's not an excuse but they are just speaking out their minds and the fact still remains that kiev can't beat Chelsea