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Wembley pitch: Why is Tottenham pitch so bad? Barcelona conspiracy, Anthony Joshua blame
WEMBLEY’s pitch has been criticised during Tottenham’s Champions League clash with Barcelona tonight.
Wembley played host to Spurs vs Barcelona as the London club sought a second Champions League win of the season.
The Home of Football is staging all three of Spurs’ Champions League home games while their new stadium is being built.
But fans were less than impressed with the state of the pitch tonight.
A clear square of dead or dying grass was clearly visible in the centre of the pitch.
What is wrong with Wembley pitch?
The reason for the state of the grass has to do with Anthony Joshua’s heavyweight title fight last month.
Joshua beat Alexander Povetkin at Wembley less than two weeks ago.
A boxing ring was placed in the centre of the field, with seats for spectators around it.
And while the pitch itself was laid with a protective flooring beforehand, it appears as though the grass was still affected.
Tottenham played at Huddersfield last weekend and at MK Dons’ stadium for their EFL Cup clash with Watford last week.
In fact, this was their first game back at Wembley since the 2-1 loss to Liverpool on September 15.
Fans were not impressed by the pitch.
One said: “Why is the glorious and great Wembley pitch so dirty. The groundsmen should be sacked disgracing tradition.”
Another wrote on Twitter: “Anthony Joshua KO'd the Wembley pitch as well, strong lad.”
And a third put: “Haven’t seen a pitch like Wembley tonight since Charlton visited Stamford Beach in ‘03.”
Yet another fan has a conspiracy theory about the pitch, believing it was purposefully affected in order to impact on Barcelona’s passing style of football.
“f***ed up the pitch. just to make Barca struggle lmfaooooo I guess poch been watching la liga last season”
And some fans directed their ire to Joshua.
“The Anthony Joshua fight has ruined the Wembley pitch,” one wrote.
Another put: “Looks like the Anthony Joshua fight has ruined the Wembley pitch. Imagine what it will look for Spurs vs Man City the day after the NFL game in late October….”
And a third added: “Looking at the state of that pitch, Anthony Joshua, Arsenal fan, must be even more pleased with his night's work at #Wembley last week. Less upper-cut, more cut-up.”