Parc des Princes pitch replaced with Irish turf before PSG v Monaco | OneFootball

The Parc des Princes pitch has been replaced ahead of PSG v Monaco on Friday at 21:05, after heatwave damage forced the opening-day switch against Rennes.

According to L'Équipe, head groundsman Jonathan Calderwood, in post since 2013, usually refreshes the surface over summer, but this time imported it from Ireland after his staff assessed options on site.

The old turf was scalped on 25 August. 700 rolls, one metre wide and five to 10 metres long, were delivered and laid over 26, 27 and 28 August. Gardeners then worked to promote rooting.

The surface underwent tests, with and without a ball, to gauge rooting. Despite the short turnaround, seven days after installation ended, club staff judge it ready for a high-level match without endangering players.

The annual task remains to let the pitch develop before Champions League knockout ties. The cost has not been disclosed, though such work is often valued at more than 500,000 euros.

For the 23 August switch against Rennes, PSG were fined 150,000 euros by the Ligue’s competitions commission for failing to stage their scheduled home fixture.

Source: L'Équipe

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