Fungus hits Alvalade pitch and Sporting plan fix; Portugal delay | OneFootball

The pitch at Estádio José Alvalade has shown signs of wear in recent weeks, especially around the goalmouths and through the central corridor. Sporting Sporting has already identified the source of the problem: the presence of some fungi in the grass.

The situation is already being dealt with, although the more in-depth intervention is only scheduled for after Portugal host Wales, set for Thursday at 7:45pm. The match marks Jorge Jesus’s debut in charge of the national team and will still be played on the current pitch.

After that fixture, Sporting will have an important window to step up the work. Alvalade will not host another match until 21 October, against LASK, in the Champions League, giving several weeks to restore the most affected areas.

For now, the possibility of a full pitch replacement has been ruled out. Sporting’s officials believe the current treatment will be enough to restore the surface to conditions considered suitable for football at the highest level.

The current turf was installed in 2025, following the lowering of the structure supporting it, as part of the redevelopment plan for Estádio José Alvalade.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇵🇹 here.