Why wasn't the Galatasaray pitch covered? The truth emerged after criticism

Galatasaray will host Dutch side AZ Alkmaar in the second leg of the UEFA Europa League knockout round play-offs.

Meanwhile, heavy snowfall has affected Istanbul, and RAMS Park, where the match will be played, has turned white. As the countdown continues for the match that will determine the yellow-reds' fate in Europe, the fact that the pitch was not covered became a topic of discussion.

THE REASON THE PITCH WAS NOT COVERED HAS EMERGED

RAMS Park officials did not cover the pitch due to AZ Alkmaar's training session scheduled at the stadium at 21:30.

It was learned that laying the cover is not a simple process and that spreading and removing it before the training session would have a worse effect on the pitch.

IT WILL BE COVERED AFTER TRAINING AND REMAIN UNTIL MATCH TIME

Stadium officials will carry out the necessary procedures for the pitch after the AZ Alkmaar training session and will apply the cover. The cover will remain on the pitch until match time and will be removed shortly before the game begins.

In this way, the match will start with the best possible pitch conditions. Immediately after the match, the necessary maintenance will be performed on the pitch, the cover will be applied, and it will not be removed from the pitch until the Fenerbahçe match time.

WHAT TIME IS THE GALATASARAY-AZ ALKMAAR MATCH?

The UEFA Europa League knockout round play-off second leg match between Galatasaray and AZ Alkmaar will be played at RAMS Park on Thursday, February 20 (today) at 20:45. AZ Alkmaar won the first leg in the Netherlands 4-1.