Luis Enrique criticises Club World Cup pitches quality ahead of PSG vs Inter Miami clash

PSG coach Luis Enrique highlights poor pitches conditions at the Club World Cup, urging FIFA to improve stadium surfaces.

Coach Luis Enrique admits he is struggling to adapt Paris Saint-Germain for the Club World Cup. His main criticism focuses on the quality of the stadium and training pitches surfaces, prompting him to compare the situation to the NBA, the American basketball league.

The Spaniard argued that FIFA must prioritise pitches quality if it wants the Club World Cup to become the “highest-level competition in the world.” He made these remarks during a press conference following PSG’s 2-0 victory over the Seattle Sounders on Monday (23rd).

"Despite the victory, I have to point out that the state of the pitches in this competition is below the level required to play football. The fields here are of much lower quality than the European ones. The ball jumps like a rabbit," he said.

Luis Enrique urges FIFA to improve Club World Cup pitches

The match took place at Lumen Field in Seattle, home to the Sounders in MLS, Seattle Reign in the NWSL, and the Seattle Seahawks in the NFL. FIFA mandated that all matches be played on natural grass, so the stadium was adapted for the tournament, resulting in a hybrid pitch that is 95% natural.

“Lumen Field used to have artificial turf, now it’s natural and they have to water it manually. They did so at half-time, but the pitch dried out in 10 minutes,” the coach said.

"FIFA has to take responsibility for this. Not only in the stadiums, but also on the training grounds. I can't imagine, for example, NBA courts with holes, and here we play on lawns where the ball looks more like a rabbit. This has to change.

According to Luis Enrique, the poor pitches quality affects PSG’s style of play. He extended his criticism to other stadiums used in the competition. “On pitches like these at the Club World Cup, we can’t play at the level we aim for,” he emphasised.

PSG arrived at the Club World Cup with high expectations after a strong season and a convincing victory over Internazionale in the Champions League final, which brought the coveted trophy to Parc des Princes for the first time.

In the group stage of the Club World Cup, PSG recorded two wins and one loss. Luis Enrique’s side will next face Inter Miami. The match is scheduled for Sunday (29th), at 6pm, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.

This article was originally published on Trivela.