Football without excuses: from October to March the pitches were mud | OneFootball

LaLiga returns amid rows over surfaces after recent complaints and postponements. According to AS, a group of Spanish greats from the 1970s and 1980s say today’s players enjoy conditions their generation never had.

Real Sociedad’s Alberto Gorriz, Athletic playmaker Urtubi, Racing goalkeeper Ceballos, La Real striker Satrústegui and Logroñés icon Tato Abadía recall training and playing on mud and sponge-like grass. They argue there is no comparison with today’s near-perfect carpets.

After the Atlético-Barça Copa tie saw players slip, Urtubi points to aluminium studs rather than pitches. Satrústegui contrasts featherlight modern boots with the heavy old ones. Abadía avoided long studs for fear of knees and says from October to March pitches were mud, while Gorriz swears by long studs.

Satrústegui recounts Betis turning up to sunshine at Atocha, only for the surface to be soaked at kick-off. Abadía says some coaches watered to slow games, not to create bogs. Gorriz adds southern and Levante grounds often kept grass long and dry to brake the ball, while his Real preferred wet, faster, more British football. Urtubi admits he envies English matches in rain.

Ceballos recalls outfielders, not keepers, taking goal-kicks in the 1980s. Gorriz hit them long for second balls, with back-passes to Arconada legal but risky on puddled Atocha. Satrústegui thrived on flick-ons for Zamora or Roberto López Ufarte, and Abadía’s step-overs through standing water at Las Gaunas sum up that era. He doubts today’s players are more technical, arguing slick pitches let them play faster and first time.

Source: AS