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<p style="display: none;">Article continues below</p><p style="display: none;">Article continues below</p><p style="display: none;">Article continues below</p><script type="application/json" data-placement="fcplayer-semantic">{"type":"fcplayer-semantic","data":{"embedCode":"//cdn.fcp.codes/embed-code-template/embed-code-template.js#SEMANTIC_5704afb8-c10b-4ba5-9cb4-d7fb6098ef90"}}</script><ul><li>Real Madrid beat Arsenal in UWCL clash</li><li>The pitch at Di Stefano Stadium has been criticised</li><li>Gunners urged to file a complaint to UEFA</li></ul><table><tbody><tr><td><a href="https://www.whatsapp.com/channel/0029Va2ivxLJJhzdzbJdwo0n"><strong>Follow GOAL on WhatsApp!</strong></a> 🟢📱</td></tr></tbody></table>

Real Madrid branded 'a f*cking disgrace' over terrible pitch that 'non-league referees would inspect and call off' for Women's Champions League win over Arsenal - with Gunners urged to make complaint to UEFA

Liga F

Eibar

Real Madrid Femenino

Women's Champions League

Arsenal Women

Lyon

<p>Los Blancos might have spent in the billions to renovate the Santiago Bernabeu, but it seems that significant work needs to be done at the Alfredo Di Stafano Stadium at Valdebebas, which is used by Real Madrid Femenino and Real Madrid Castilla. The Gunners travelled to the Spanish capital to face Los Blancos in the first leg of the UEFA Women's Champions League quarter-finals and they had to play on a surface which  looked heavy after a downpour.</p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">✨ Working with the elements, Real Madrid break through the Arsenal defense and Linda Caicedo gives them a superb opening goal!<br><br>Watch the game live on DAZN &amp; join the DAZN FanZone ▶️ <a href="https://t.co/dIfKpURfZv">https://t.co/dIfKpURfZv</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/UWCLonDAZN?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#UWCLonDAZN</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/UWCL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#UWCL</a> <a href="https://t.co/KhtCO58Hmw">pic.twitter.com/KhtCO58Hmw</a></p>— DAZN Women's Football (@DAZNWFootball) <a href="https://twitter.com/DAZNWFootball/status/1902061230610588063?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 18, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>



WHAT HAPPENED?

<p>Arsenal fans and neutrals alike were furious to see the match being played on that kind of a surface and vented their disappointment on X.</p><p><a href="https://x.com/CardyFreddie/status/1902056235857232306" target="_blank">@CardyFreddie</a> wrote: "I've seen non-league referees that would be closely inspecting this pitch, if not considering calling the game off. Looks a real struggle to play on and it's only going to get worse."</p><p><a href="https://x.com/ChrisLukeJones/status/1902062548977168404" target="_blank">@ChrisLukeJones</a> questioned: "How are Real Madrid playing on a bog, what is that pitch?"</p><p><a href="https://x.com/Anubhav_Dev_AFC/status/1902067392785871355" target="_blank">@Anubhav_Dev_AFC</a> lashed out and wrote: "The pitch at alfredo di stéfano stadium is a disgrace! Real Madrid could do better! @UWCL #uwcl #arsenal #RealMadrid".</p><p>Whereas, <a href="https://x.com/curtis_harper/status/1902063975103340823" target="_blank">@curtis_harper</a> wrote: "This Real Madrid women’s pitch is absolutely horrendous, seen better quality pitches in Sunday league."</p><p>Meanwhile, <a href="https://x.com/I_am_Zagreus/status/1902067037289300312" target="_blank">@I_am_Zagreus</a> urged the club to take action: "Arsenal need to put in a complaint to UEFA about this pitch, it’s insultingly bad. Real Madrid genuinely do not care about their women’s team."</p>

WHAT THE FANS ARE SAYING

<p>Arsenal legend Ian Wright, a known ally of the women's game, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/stories/wrightyofficial/3591182789760977316/?hl=en" target="_blank">took to Instagram</a> to vent his fury at the situation. He said: "Watching the Champions League quarter-final Real Madrid pitch, this is worse than Derby's pitch the other day. This is a fucking disgrace the pitches these girls have to play on."</p>

WHAT THE PUNDITS ARE SAYING

<p>Arsenal struggled to get a foothold in the match and conceded in each half to <a href="https://www.goal.com/en-gb/lists/arsenal-women-player-ratings-real-madrid-leah-williamson-manuela-zinsberger-errors-gunners-awful-pitch-champions-league-defeat/blt8697c48a7ca0b6c9" target="_blank">lose the first leg 2-0</a>. Linda Caicedo made Leah Williamson pay for being sluggish to open the scoring while Athenea del Castillo finished off a swift counter-attack to secure a commanding lead for Los Blancos heading into the second leg.</p>

THE BIGGER PICTURE

<p>The Alfredo Di Stefano Stadium had previously hosted Real Madrid’s senior team during the COVID-19 pandemic, as the club carried out major renovations at the Santiago Bernabeu. From June 2020 until the end of the 2020–21 season, Madrid played their home fixtures behind closed doors at the venue. The Spanish national team also used the stadium in September 2020, securing a 4-0 UEFA Nations League win over Ukraine.</p>

DID YOU KNOW?

<p>With Arsenal sitting eight points adrift of Chelsea in the Women’s Super League , the Champions League remains their last realistic opportunity to win a trophy this season having already been eliminated from both domestic cup competitions. The second leg against Madrid comes back on home soil next week.</p>

WHAT NEXT FOR ARSENAL?

Real Madrid branded 'a f*cking disgrace' over terrible pitch that 'non-league referees would inspect and call off' for Women's Champions League win over Arsenal - with Gunners urged to make complaint to UEFA | Goal.com

Real Madrid were branded &quot;a f*cking disgrace&quot; over the terrible pitch at Alfredo Di Stefano Stadium for their Women&apos;s Champions League clash with Arsenal.

Real Madrid branded &apos;a f*cking disgrace&apos; over terrible pitch that &apos;non-league referees would inspect and call off&apos; for Women&apos;s Champions League win over Arsenal - with Gunners urged to make complaint to UEFA

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