After controversy, Arena da Baixada pitch is inspected by FIFA

Athletico received, on Tuesday night (21), employees from a specialized laboratory approved by FIFA to test the new synthetic grass at Arena da Baixada. Rubro-Negro debuted on the field in the 3-0 victory over Fortaleza, in the Brazilian Under-17 Championship.

During tests, employees ensure that the lawn meets the necessary requirements for game performance, safety, durability and quality assurance. They also evaluate parameters of the ball’s relationship and the athlete’s interaction with the pitch, in addition to the ball’s bounce and roll, impact absorption and traction.

FIFA certification for the new pitch at Arena da Baixada will be issued in the coming days. Athletico will use synthetic grass for the first home game of the Brazilian Championship against Internacional, on Saturday (25), at 6:30 pm.

Fans criticize the color of Athletico’s new pitch

Artificial grass is with the yellowish tonemainly in a section of the field, and drew criticism from fans who followed the broadcast of the match live on Rede Furacão, the club’s official channel on Youtube.

This yellowish predominance in the new lawn is due to the presence of cork, used to fill the lawn instead of coconut fiber, used in the old synthetic lawn. According to Athletico, the cork is still very superficial and the color should change as the days go by.

Athletico decided to use cork instead of coconut fiber, following the example of Botafogo and Palmeiras. The material is also used on the lawns of Engenhão and Nubank Parque, respectively.

Of vegetable and organic origin, cork is now considered the best option on the market. This is because it has a greater thermal insulation capacity, which prevents the pitch from rising in temperature, and it also contains excellent cushioning, which helps when playing football.

In other words, cork also serves as a complement to shock pada cushioning structure that is underneath the new lawn. The system is responsible for absorbing impacts and providing greater safety and comfort for athletes, which ensures better playing conditions, comfort for players and also greater durability of the field.

For those who played, the perception is different. Scorer of the first goal on the new synthetic grass at Arena da Baixada, striker Willian Bispo was full of praise.