Within the eyes of Borussia Dortmund coach Niko Kovač, the MetLife Stadium area was higher fitted to a spherical of golf than a match on the Membership World Cup.
And the New York space’s summer season warmth additionally was inappropriate for high-level soccer.
“It’s more a golf green, so you can putt here,” Kovač said after a 3-2 quarterfinal loss to Real Madrid on Saturday. “It’s very short. But this is not the grass we are used to playing on in the Bundesliga and also in the other two stadiums.”
Dortmund performed its opening group match at MetLife, the location of the Membership World Cup semifinals and championship, and of subsequent yr’s World Cup last. The German workforce performed two matches at Cincinnati’s TQL Stadium and its spherical of 16 recreation at Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
“As you saw, the watering wasn’t good enough, I would say, because you don’t have the devices for that.” Kovač said. “When it’s too dry, it’s unbelievable. It’s sticking.”
FIFA stated it didn’t have a right away touch upon Kovač’s remarks.
On a sunny afternoon, the temperature on the 4 p.m. kickoff was 86 levels Fahrenheit (30 levels Celsius) in East Rutherford. Related temperatures or increased are anticipated for subsequent yr’s World Cup, the place 11 venues are within the U.S., and most shouldn’t have roofs or air-conditioning.
Through the 1994 World Cup, 28 of 52 matches had kickoff instances from midday to 2 p.m. EDT, higher for European viewing. Kickoff instances for subsequent yr’s 104-game event are prone to be set after the attract December.
“We performed two instances in Cincinnati. The primary time it was 12 o’clock. The second time it was 3 p.m. and the pitch we had temperatures of round about 45 levels (113 levels Fahrenheit),” Kovač stated. “When the temperature is 45 levels, this isn’t superb. That is very arduous for somebody, and the gamers, they need to play these video games.
“Right this moment, we had 35 levels (95 levels Fahrenheit). It’s additionally not significantly better, to be sincere. However, OK, this a event we have to play. And I might recommend — my suggestion, that the kickoff time shall be a bit later. … So the depth can be a lot increased. And as a supporter, as a spectator, you wish to see intensive, aggressive, up-and-down soccer. So when it’s too scorching, then it’s troublesome to play this sort of soccer.”
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