There are increasing concerns about the state of the pitch in Lille where the Republic of Ireland will take on Italy in a decisive Euro 2016 Group E game on Wednesday.
The surface at the Stade Pierre-Mauroy had already badly deteriorated before hosts France played out a goalless draw with Switzerland there on Sunday.
Ireland and Italy were both obliged to stage their eve-of-game training sessions – normally held at the match venue – at their respective training bases on Tuesday morning in an attempt to protect the damaged pitch at the Stade Pierre-Mauroy.
Incessant rain fell on Lille on Tuesday morning and the stadium roof is set to be closed for the game, which Ireland will have to win to keep alive their hopes of reaching the last 16. Italy are already assured of a place in the next round as group winners. Naijabet
“We saw the pitch didn’t look that great but it’s going to be the same for the Italians as it is for ourselves so that makes it a level playing field,” Ireland left-back Stephen Ward said on Monday as he spoke to reporters alongside teammate Wes Hoolahan.
“Myself and Wes have played in the League of Ireland so we’re used to it,” he joked.
France coach Didier Deschamps has led the criticism of the poor pitches at many of the venues – several of his players struggled to keep their footing during the draw with the Swiss in Lille.
And Jacques Lambert, the head of the tournament’s organising committee, indicated that moving games to different venues may be an option if the quality of the pitches does not improve.
“Nothing is impossible,” he told Tuesday’s edition of French sports daily L’Equipe.
He added, however: “But we can’t just do anything. We can’t tell people who have booked hotels somewhere that the match is actually going ahead in a different place.
“Nor we can tell people with tickets that they can’t get in because the game has been moved to a smaller stadium.”
