Western Morning News (Saturday)
Stadium fire puts World Cup qualifier in doubt
AFIRE broke out at Andorra’s national stadium on the eve of the World Cup qualifier against England.
The Three Lions are in the Pyrenees ahead of this evening’s Group I clash against the side ranked 156th in the world.
The visitors trained at the Estadi Nacional on Friday lunchtime, before manager Gareth Southgate and stand-in skipper Kieran Trippier faced the media.
Shortly after they left the 3,300-capacity stadium a spectacular fire broke out on the TV gantry, with black smoke filling the air as flames ripped through the structure.
One onlooker said that welders were working there before the blaze.
Stadium staff tried to get the fire under control with the pitch sprinklers before the fire brigade arrived. Police were also in attendance, along with UEFA and Andorran Football Federation staff.
The Football Association is trying to ascertain if there is any impact on tonight’s qualifier in Andorra la Valle.
A dugout has melted and the video assistant referee’s monitor was burnt, with the walls blackened by the fire.
There was debris on a part of the pitch and widespread damage to the touchline in Andorra, where they have an artificial surface.
Wales raged about the Estadi
Nacional pitch after a European Championship qualifier in 2014, with Gareth Bale saying it was “by far the worst I’ve ever played on”.
The Andorran Football Federation said it was improved last year to what an official called a “hybrid surface” and Southgate is not overly concerned by the pitch.
“A lot of those interviews were from when Wales played here and it has been relaid so it is a more up-todate surface,” he said.
“We have played on some really difficult grass pitches where teams have kept the length of the grass long and have moved the ball quickly, so for us to have a surface where you know you can move the ball quickly is good.
“All the players have grown up in academies, in under-ages playing on these pitches. We played in Lithuania on one, so we have to adapt.
“The game is slightly different. The risk is you always play to feet, would be an observation from matches I have seen on this surface and we have to make sure we play as much as our normal game as well can.”
England 24-man squad got a feel for Andorra’s artificial pitch on the eve of the game and Southgate does not feel he has to protect any players like Harry Kane - albeit Trippier’s role as captain all but confirms the striker will not start.
“No, every player is available,” the Three Lions boss said. “To be honest there are players with different medical issues that would be less likely to be available than Harry.”