Barcelona protest over San Siro pitch

Barcelona have complained to UEFA about the playing surface at the San Siro after players struggled with the pitch in the Champions League draw with AC Milan yesterday.

Lionel Messi slipped as he took a free-kick and other Barca players were unhappy with the pitch during the 0-0 draw in the quarter-final first leg.

The club passed the matter on to UEFA delegate Mikalai Varabyov in the post-match meeting and the Bulgarian has taken it up with the Italian side, Barcelona confirmed on their website.

In his post-match press conference Barca coach Pep Guardiola said: "In the end we adapt to everything, we come and we play, but it's clear that this was a problem for the spectacle."

Messi added: "We played our game but it was difficult because of the pitch and because they (AC Milan) are very strong."

Team-mate Javier Mascherano also found it difficult to play on the San Siro surface.

He said: "The pitch was a problem in the stadium and it affects other teams."

Milan responded to the complaints by issuing a statement insisting the pitch was of an acceptable standard.

The statement on the club's website read: "With reference to the protest lodged by FC Barcelona regarding the condition of the pitch at the San Siro, AC Milan wishes to communicate that:

"1) The watering of the pitch within an hour before kick-off, as agreed in the organisational meeting yesterday morning, was not done due to the already high levels of humidity of the pitch.

"2) The general state of the pitch, which the Barcelona team trained on the previous evening without any problems, was declared to be acceptable by the referees and the UEFA delegates."