Russian Club Rostov Banned From Holding Games Due To Poor Field Conditions Ahead Of Game Vs Man U

Russian league club FC Rostov has been forbidden from holding games on its home field following scathing remarks from Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho regarding its poor conditions.

Russian Team Rostov Banned From Hosting Games Due to Poor Field

The field at Olimp-2 stadium was deemed fit by UEFA for the first leg of Rostov’s last-16 tie with United last week.

Mourinho said ahead of that game he found it “hard to believe we are going to play on that field – if you can call it a field” and even Rostov manager Ivan Daniliants made no attempt to deny the “problem” pitch.

Though the Russian league has banned Rostov from hosting games at its own stadium, it said the club is free to hold matches at other venues.

Marouane Fellaini, who played the full 90 minutes for United, said: ‘It is true the pitch was difficult but we played and we drew. It’ll now be completely different in Old Trafford. We are confident.

‘We had to play that’s why we went there. We knew it would be tough, it would be hard. We drew which was a good result. Now we have a tough game.’

United tied the Europa League Round of 16 first leg 1-1 thanks to a Henrik Mkhitaryan goal, and will host Rostov at Old Trafford on Thursday for the second leg.

The Olimp-2 stadium is not among those set to be used in the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.

KAZAN, RUSSIA – NOVEMBER 18: Maxime Lestienne (L) of FC Rubin Kazan vies for the ball with Miha Mevlja FC Rostov Rostov-On-Don during the Russian Premier League match between FC Rubin Kazan and FC Rostov Rostov-On-Don at Kazan Arena stadium on November 18, 2016 in Kazan, Russia. (Photo by Epsilon/Getty Images)