The quality of football has everything to do with the quality of the pitch. One thing is intrinsically linked to the other. It is no coincidence that, symbolically, the narrators began to call the quadrangle where the games take place the green carpet. I’ll go further: I would roll out a red carpet, from end to end, as a sign of respect for those who put on a show on the four lines. “Oh, gardener, why are you so sad. But what happened to you?”
The grass is dying. Horrible death. Trampled. Once again, the old problem. Bother. It compromises the image of Castelão, one of the most beautiful sports venues in the world. Everything works except the lawn. Nobody wants to play at Castelão. Fear of bruises. Every effort was made to restore the pitch at Castelão. The stadium was closed for almost four months. After the lawn recovery work, everything returned to normal. But, in a short time, after the first rains, it was clear that the situation would return to what it was before. It returned. Now there is no point in palliation. They will have to look for a definitive solution. A radical stance in the face of the challenge. Everything or nothing.
Zeal
Europeans take better care of their lawns. One time, I went to visit the San Siro Stadium, in Milan, Italy. There was a lot of snow. When I entered, the entire lawn was protected by a tarpaulin. And, under the tarp, bright lights were on, leaving the grass warm. Truly a rug, without a single flaw.
Carpets
I was fortunate to visit important stadiums around the world: the Allianz Arena, in Munich, Germany; the Santiago Bernabéu, in Madrid; the San Siro, in Milan, Italy; the Signal Iduna Park, in Dortmund, Germany; the Parc des Princes, in Paris; the Stade de France, in Saint-Dennis; the Delle Alpi, in Turin, Italy. In all, the lawn is impeccable. Perfect.
Perfect
I could mention many other stadiums that I have seen around the world. Be careful with the lawn in all cases. In the 1970s and 1980s, the two best pitches in Brazil were Castelão in Fortaleza and Serra Dourada in Goiânia. Currently, I don’t know how Serra Dourada is doing. Castelão’s became a chronic problem.
Heavy load
There will be no point in further repairs to the Castelão pitch if the avalanche of games scheduled there continues, in the different categories of the Brazilian Championship. There is no grass that can withstand the wear and tear of so many consecutive games. It’s a calendar that kills the grass, no matter how much effort there is to keep it lush and lush.
Detail
Today’s large stadiums are a refinement of luxury and comfort in some areas, especially where the boxes are. Special care is taken with the most varied items. Excellent. But if they neglect the lawn, they will make the biggest mistake of all. The pitch is the main space of a stadium. The players know very well what I say.
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