Mourinho blasts 'rock' hard Ukraine pitch

Odessa (Ukraine) (AFP) – Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho blasted the “rock” hard surface at Chernomorets Stadium ahead of Thursday’s Europa League clash with Ukraine’s Zorya Luhansk, insisting it may take a “miracle” for the game to go-ahead.

United need just a point to reach the knockout stages but with temperatures expected to plunge to minus nine Celsius overnight, Mourinho was furious over the game being scheduled for December.

“The pitch is very hard, very icy,” Mourinho told the Manchester Evening News. 

“I think UEFA know the conditions of the pitch and everyone knows that in mid-December the conditions in Ukraine and Eastern Europe are more difficult.

“So if UEFA was worried about it they should change the fixtures and not allow the last fixtures to be played in December.

“I think the stadium is beautiful, new, well taken care of. The pitch is the same. They’re trying — they’re putting some warmth in the top of it but the pitch is very difficult. 

“They can’t make miracles so let’s hope everything goes well.”

United star Daley Blind said the pitch was “like a rock”.