HAMBURG: The newly laid field in the Hamburg stadium was off limits to the Netherlands and Poland on Saturday, one day before their opening game at the European Championship.
A new grass surface was ordered at Volksparkstadion after host club Hamburger completed their home fixtures on May 19 in the Bundesliga second tier.
Four weeks later, UEFA wanted to protect it from the teams’ traditional eve-of-game practice before the stadium hosts its first game at Euro 2024. Hamburg is due to stage five games including one quarterfinal.
“We are not allowed to train here either, because of the bad quality of the pitch,” Netherlands coach Ronald Koeman said at the venue where the teams kick off on Sunday at 3 p.m. local time (1300 GMT).
UEFA insisted in a statement the surface “is in good condition and in order to preserve its quality the official (training) will take place at the respective team base camp.”
Netherlands captain Virgil van Dijk suggested the field was similar to the one in Frankfurt where the Oranje lost to Germany 2-1 in a March friendly.
“It’s not very good but both teams have to face it,” said Van Dijk, a couple of hours after Poland captain Piotr Zieliński suggested, “It doesn’t look that bad.”
UEFA seeks to give national teams the best possible playing surfaces at its showpiece tournament and often installs new fields at stadiums and training camps. It has replacements on standby if an entire playing field needs to be relaid during the monthlong tournament.
Switzerland made a formal complaint to UEFA this week about the training camp surface it was given near Stuttgart, though on Saturday it did not seem to have harmed the team’s preparation. The slick Swiss beat Hungary 3-1 in their opening game.
Netherlands and Poland denied training on new Hamburg stadium field ahead of Euro 2024 game
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Netherlands and Poland denied training on new Hamburg stadium field ahead of Euro 2024 game
- “We are not allowed to train here either, because of the bad quality of the pitch,” Netherlands coach Ronald Koeman said
- UEFA insisted in a statement the surface “is in good condition and in order to preserve its quality the official (training) will take place at the respective team base camp”
Yamal penalty rescues Barca from defeat at Newcastle
- The Liga champions still have work to do when the sides meet again on March 18, but will leave Tyneside relieved after a sub-par performance from Hansi Flick’s side
NEWCASTLE, United Kingdom: Lamine Yamal’s penalty with the last kick of the game rescued Barcelona from defeat at Newcastle in a 1-1 Champions League last 16, first leg draw on Tuesday.
The Magpies were headed for a night to savour at St. James’ Park when Harvey Barnes opened the scoring on 86 minutes.
Yamal had been a peripheral figure but showed the composure of one of the world’s best players from the spot after Dani Olmo was tripped by Malick Thiaw deep into stoppage time.
The Liga champions still have work to do when the sides meet again on March 18, but will leave Tyneside relieved after a sub-par performance from Hansi Flick’s side.
Newcastle’s bid to make the quarter-finals for the first time was dealt a blow before kick-off when Anthony Gordon was forced to start on the bench due to illness.
Only Kylian Mbappe has scored more than Gordon’s 10 Champions League goals this season and the England international’s threat was badly missed as Newcastle a[pplied early pressure.
Eddie Howe had billed this game as the biggest in the club’s history and the desire to make amends for a FA Cup exit to Manchester City and a dissapointing Premier League season showed.
Howe made a bold choice with Gordon’s replacement as William Osula came in at the expense of club record signing Nick Woltemade and Yoane Wissa up front.
Osula’s pace troubled Barca’s high defensive line early on, but Newcastle’s best attempt to break the deadlock before half-time came from a corner.
Joan Garcia spilled his attempt to save Sandro Tonali’s header and needed to be rescued by a goal-line clearance from Pau Cubarsi.
The home side continued to press for a breakthrough in the second period.
Anthony Elanga should have picked out Barnes for a simple finish when his low cross was cut out by Garcia.
It took nearly 70 minutes for the visitors to create a clear sight of goal when Robert Lewandowski prodded wide from Raphinha’s cross.
That was Lewandowski’s final act as he was replaced by Marcus Rashford, who scored twice when the sides met at St. James’ Park in the League Phase.
Howe also turned to his bench in search of a winner with Gordon among those introduced.
The offside flag came to Barca’s aid when Joelinton thought he had opened the scoring after Barnes struck the post.
The visitors’ desire just to see the game out at 0-0 was evidenced when Ronald Araujo tried to hold up play by rolling back on the field after going down injured.
Italian referee Marco Guida refused to let the Uruguayan defender immediately back onto the field and Newcastle took full advantage as Barnes was unmarked at the back post, where Araujo should have been, to convert Jacob Murphy’s cross.
Much of Newcastle’s fine work was undone by one mistake as Thiaw flicked out a leg to bring down the jinking Olmo inside the box.
Yamal coolly sent Aaron Ramsdale the wrong way to leave Newcastle needing heroics in the Camp Nou next week to reach the last eight.
