Andorra’s Stadium has caught fire ahead of their clash against England on Saturday night.
Gareth Southgate’s side are currently top of Group I ahead of their games against Andorra and Hungary, four points ahead of Albania in second place.
The Three Lions are due to face Koldo Alvarez’s side in their World Cup qualifier tomorrow and the game will still go ahead, a spokesperson confirmed: “No personal harm has been reported, only material damage.
“The schedule will continue as planned and the match will go ahead.”
The fire brigade were quickly on the scene after the dugouts at tomorrow’s venue – the Estadi Nacional – were seen on fire this afternoon, with video footage from the scene showcasing how quickly the flames spread before the emergency services swiftly appeared.
Read More
Related Articles
Read More
Related Articles
As of yet, the cause of the fire is unknown but it is clear that the gantry, where the media were due to cover the encounter, is likely to be damaged.
England had got a feel for the artificial surface on Friday morning as the Euro 2020 finalists trained on the pitch earlier in the day before the incident occurred.
The pitch has previously been heavily criticised, with former Tottenham star Gareth Bale claiming that it was the worst pitch he has ever played on after Wales played there back in 2014.
Still, former Middlesbrough boss Southgate has stated that the conditions have improved since Bale’s comments.
“The first thing is a lot of those interviews were when Wales played here, it has been relayed since then, it is a more up-to-date surface,” Southgate stated.
In each football.london bulletin, we’ll bring you the latest breaking news, transfer features and comment pieces on your favourite club, as well as the key talking points for fans.
You won’t miss a thing – you’ll get all the news you need right to your inbox. We’ll also send special newsletters when big stories break or there’s a special event happening.
You can sign up for Arsenal updates here.
You can sign up for Chelsea updates here.
You can sign up for Tottenham updates here.
You can sign up for West Ham updates here.
“We have played on some really difficult grass pitches where teams have kept the length of the grass long and we haven’t been able to move the ball quickly. For us to have a surface where you know the ball can move quickly is good.
“All of the players have grown up in academies and the young ages playing on these pitches. We played in Lithuania on one. We have to adapt, the game can be slightly different, the risk is you can always end up playing to feet is an observation I have seen on these types of surfaces.
“We have got to make sure we play as much as our normal game as we can.”
https://www.football.london/premier-league/andorra-england-world-cup-breaking-21806505
