EM “Put on your studs”
Germany’s big concern before the Switzerland game
Status: 3:36 p.m. | Reading time: 3 minutes
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Germany wants to secure its group victory at the European Championships against Switzerland on Sunday. However, the grass at the venue is a major concern. The playing surface is in a worrying state. The problem has been around for months.
Is DFB young star Jamal Musiala at risk of another dangerous slip? Before the final European Championship group match of the German national football team against Switzerland on Sunday in Frankfurt, there is an acute pitch alarm, the playing surface is in a worrying condition.
This brings back bad memories, especially for Musiala. The 21-year-old from German champions FC Bayern Munich had a particularly bad experience with the pitch in Frankfurt during the DFB selection’s 2-1 international win against the Netherlands in March and said afterwards: “Luckily I survived.”
What is the problem?
The grass is also extremely slippery at the European Championships, which poses considerable problems for the players when it comes to standing. The result: the pitch is full of grass rags. This was most recently seen in the England vs. Denmark match (1:1) last Thursday. England defender Kyle Walker slipped dangerously early on and had to change his football boots, as did his teammate Bukayo Saka later on.
What do those involved say?
England coach Gareth Southgate did not want to blame the pitch for his team’s poor performance. “We don’t need to look for excuses. That is not the reason for our performance.” The Danes spoke plainly. “Even when playing with iron studs, the pitch was very slippery. It is obviously not the best pitch,” criticized Joakim Maehle. “We had difficulty running on it.”
England’s Bukayo Sako dribbles the ball on the battered Frankfurt pitch
Source: dpa/Arne Dedert
Striker Yussuf Poulsen, who played in the arena with RB Leipzig for the Bundesliga final against Eintracht Frankfurt a month ago, was also not impressed. “It wasn’t the best pitch I’ve played on, but it wasn’t the worst either. I’ve played in Frankfurt a number of times and it’s always like that. I told the boys: put on your studs because it gets slippery after 20 minutes,” said Poulsen.
What are the German experiences?
Not good. “Unfortunately, the pitch is a disaster, a real disaster. There were many situations in the final third when we slipped away,” said national coach Julian Nagelsmann after the March international match against the Netherlands. Bayern veteran Thomas Müller spoke of “madness” at the time.
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And Musiala reported: “I felt like I slipped with every move. The pitch slipped with every turn. I always do a lot of turns. The pitch has to be stable. A little slippery is OK, but that was dangerous.” The agile young star is particularly prone to slipping because of his quick turns.
What do the DFB professionals say?
The current problem is of course also known in the German team headquarters. “The grass is extremely soapy. It breaks down extremely quickly. The grass is not that firm, which causes problems,” said Stuttgart’s Chris Führich at the press conference before the Switzerland match on Friday. His VfB colleague Deniz Undav, however, demonstrated his self-confidence after two European Championship victories so far: “Whether we play on grass or stone, it doesn’t matter, we have to win.”
What are the causes of the problem?
The reason for the poor condition of the lawn is apparently the NFL’s guest appearance in Frankfurt last November. After the American football stars’ two appearances on the Main, the worn-out hybrid lawn had to be replaced. For cost reasons, the stadium operator then decided to lay natural grass, which was under water for weeks due to the onset of winter and heavy rainfall.
Can this be remedied?
The European Football Union hopes that the turf problems will be resolved quickly. “There is a detailed maintenance plan in place to address specific issues and further improve quality in the run-up to the upcoming matches at the venue,” UEFA said on Friday.
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They have been working closely with the stadium operator for some time “to ensure optimal playing conditions,” they said. If these efforts do not bear fruit, only cosmetic repairs will help. As was the case during the England vs. Denmark match, when four greenkeepers filled the biggest holes in the pitch during half-time.
