FC Barcelona has filed a formal complaint with UEFA regarding the pitch conditions at Atlético Madrid's Metropolitano stadium ahead of their Champions League quarter-final second leg.
The Catalan club requested that football's governing body measure the grass height at the Madrid venue to ensure compliance with official regulations.
Barcelona manager Hansi Flick personally inspected the turf during training, where he was seen measuring the grass. According to reports from Marca, the German coach expressed direct dissatisfaction with the surface during the session.
UEFA responded to the complaint by stating they will calibrate and trim the pitch if it exceeds the permitted height. Tournament regulations stipulate that grass must not exceed 30 millimeters and must remain uniform across the entire field.
At Barcelona's Camp Nou, the grass typically measures around 2.3 centimeters.
Atlético Madrid has denied any wrongdoing, asserting that the pitch meets standard measurements. The Madrid-based club maintains that the surface quality has actually improved over the last month following the recent European winter.
Ongoing disputes over officiating
The tension between the two clubs extends beyond the playing surface. Barcelona also filed a legal complaint regarding the officiating of referee Istvan Kovacs during the first leg.
The club's legal department is seeking an investigation into a specific incident in the 54th minute. During the match, Atlético player Marc Pubill handled the ball inside the penalty area, but Kovacs and the VAR failed to award a penalty.
"Barcelona informs that the club's legal services have today presented a complaint to UEFA regarding the events in the first leg... The Club considers that the officiating did not adhere to the current law, directly influencing how the game progressed and the result," the club's management stated.
This is not the first time the Catalan side has challenged stadium conditions. During his tenure, former manager Xavi frequently criticized poor pitch quality for hindering ball circulation and positional play.
Similar complaints were leveled against the Vicente Calderón and Santiago Bernabéu stadiums during previous European campaigns.
