Man City changes typical pre-match routine in Champions League to get used to an artificial pitch

By: The Associated Press Posted: 3:05 PM CDT Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2023

BERN, Switzerland (AP) — Manchester City has changed its usual preparations for an away game in the Champions League ahead of a meeting with Young Boys on the Swiss team's artificial pitch at its Wankdorf Stadium.

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This article was published 24/10/2023 (1062 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

BERN, Switzerland (AP) — Manchester City has changed its usual preparations for an away game in the Champions League ahead of a meeting with Young Boys on the Swiss team’s artificial pitch at its Wankdorf Stadium.

City does not normally take up the option available to the team of training at the stadium where it is playing the game, instead preferring to work in Manchester before traveling.

However, City flew to Bern early Tuesday and had a run-out inside Young Boys’ stadium on its unfamiliar terrain.

Manchester City's head coach Josep Guardiola speaks during a press conference at the Wankdorf stadium in Bern, Switzerland, Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2023. BSC Young Boys will face Manchester City in the Champions League group stage match on Wednesday, Oct. 25, 2023. (Peter Schneider/Keystone via AP)

Speaking at a news conference later Tuesday, City manager Pep Guardiola said he would prefer to be playing on natural grass but accepted the conditions.

“If UEFA allows games to be played here, it’s because it is in good conditions,” Guardiola said.

“That’s one of the reasons we never train away but this is an exception. This is why we travel in the morning for the players to feel how the ball runs, how to move left, right, backwards, forwards. That’s why. We’ll try it and the players will know it immediately.”

Asked if he was concerned about injuries, Guardiola said: “I don’t know — hopefully not, for both sides, but I don’t know.

“We are not used to it. Any team that plays here is not used to it. It suits the Swiss league and, in the Champions League, the teams that come here have to adapt. We will not be the first in this situation. We have to use it as a benefit but the grass is better.”