São Januário pitch set for adjustments during break after Vasco disquiet | OneFootball

A pause in the calendar will be used to improve the São Januário pitch, an issue that has caused internal dissatisfaction at Vasco in recent weeks.

According to Globo.com, Greenleaf Gramados, the company responsible for the surface, has begun planned works during the break. The treatment is part of its regular schedule, not a response to complaints or a club request, and is also undertaken at CT Moacyr Barbosa when there are no games.

Concerns centred on grass height and inconsistent mowing patterns, which often left a heavier surface. In some matches the cut was higher, slowing play and displeasing the coaching staff, while at other times it was too low, creating irregularity and a livelier ball.

Players, Renato Gaúcho’s staff and the club hierarchy, notably president Pedrinho, criticised the situation internally.

Works include more aggressive cuts below the usual 20 millimetres to open the sward, clear the surface, remove excess leaves and stolons, and stimulate renewal. This aims to remove the grass ‘mattresses’ that had formed and drawn criticism.

In the coming days the stadium will undergo overseeding, the application of winter seed over the existing turf to increase density and improve cover. Ryegrass will be used, blended with the base species Bermuda Celebration, to maintain appearance and coverage when Bermuda slows its growth in cooler temperatures.

The expectation is that the pitch will carry less volume, feel lighter when matches resume and offer better conditions for football.

Source: Globo.com