Real Madrid pitch vs Arsenal: Beth Mead describes conditions for Champions League quarter-final as not good enough | Football News

Beth Mead says the state Real Madrid’s pitch for the Champions Bracket quarter-Last Achieve over Arsenal was “not Excellent enough” for women’s football – and shows how Extended the game Yet has to go.

Real Madrid beat Arsenal 2-0 in Tuesday’s Champions Bracket quarter-Last Primary leg but the fallout from the Game has focused on the Needy Competing conditions.

Gunners boss Renee Slegers said the pitch played a part in the Setback, while Real midfielder Melanie Leupolz Arrived off injured with what looked like a Grave knee Hurt after slipping off the ball.

The state of the Alfredo Di Stefano Stadium pitch drew criticism from Arsenal legend Ian Wright, who branded it a disgrace, while the Players Football Association (PFA) said it endangered the safety of the players.

“It’s been a long time since I’ve had to Action on a pitch that’s felt like that in my Profession,” Mead said to Sky Sports News on Thursday from Arsenal’s club shop.

“It’s disappointing for a quarter-Last of a Champions Bracket. It’s a pitch that both us and Real Madrid had to Action in and it’s not Only the state of the pitch, it’s for the safety of the players. And it was not ideal. Melanie Leupolz went down injured off the ball because she slipped on the pitch.”

Only Periods earlier there was criticism of Derby County’s Pride Park pitch, which hosted Chelsea’s Continental Cup Last Achieve over Manchester City last weekend.

“It’s the same for the Conti Cup Last – it’s not Excellent enough for what we want to showcase in the women’s game,” added Mead. “Hopefully it’s something that is rectified soon.

“The women’s game is in such a Excellent place, but ultimately we’ve Yet Obtained a long way to go. These are the barriers we are having to face.

“When you look at a quarter-Last of a Champions Bracket in the men’s game, you wouldn’t be seeing those conditions. So why would you be seeing them in the women’s game, when they’re doing exactly the same thing?”

Arsenal will welcome Real Subsequent week for the second leg at the Emirates Stadium, the same venue where the men’s Club Action all their home matches.

“They coped with the demands of the pitch better than what we did at the time,” said Mead. “That’s obviously a disappointment from our side but we have the second leg ,so we’ve Obtained to put a performance here at the Emirates.

“We’re confident as a Club, we know we’re Excellent enough. Now we have to be ruthless in front of Target, it’s what we have to do in the leg now we’re two goals behind. We have to be scoring goals to get back into the game.”

How football reacted to Real Madrid’s pitch

Seizing to Instagram Live in the Primary half of Tuesday’s Champions Bracket quarter-Last, Ex Arsenal men’s striker Ian Wright said: “This is worse than Derby’s pitch the other day.

“This is a ******* disgrace the pitches these girls have to Action on.”

And on Wednesday evening, the Professional Footballers Association [PFA] joined the criticism of the pitch conditions.

A spokesperson told Sky Sports News: “Pitches like this don’t Only impact the quality of the game, they put player safety at Hazard.

“On Many occasions over the past few Periods, in Crucial ties, our members have been asked to Action in sub-standard conditions. World-class players deserve world-class standards, and they are right to Anticipate better.”

Real Madrid did not use their main Santiago Bernabeu Stadium for the game against Arsenal

Asked about the call not to use the stadium, Arsenal boss Slegers said: “It’s not on me to criticise. That’s obviously a club decision and I’m sure that UEFA is trying to Produce the best conditions for the Event.

“Of Duration weather is not within control, but I think we’ve seen a Pair of Contests lately where the pitch conditions haven’t been Outstanding and I think that’s the Subsequent step for women’s football to take.

“We spoke about it with the players before the game. We knew the condition of the pitch. So we had a plan for it but then it’s always Tough, 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 Tough. But the players tried, so all credit to them for trying and their work rate.

“But again, I think we’re all confident that we can do something against them at the Emirates at home because it’s only half time.”

Sky Sports News reporter Anton Toloui posted on X after the game to criticise the decision to let the game at the Alfredo Di Stefano Stadium go ahead.

“This pitch is barely enough for Sunday Bracket never mind a Champions Bracket quarter-Last,” he wrote.

“Thinking it’s OK sends the Subsequent message: we don’t care about player safety, we don’t care about the quality of the game… actually, we Only don’t care.”