Was San Paolo pitch sabotaged?

By Football Italia staff

The Mayor of Naples has suggested “sabotage” could be behind the disastrous state of the Stadio San Paolo pitch.

The turf was more sand than grass when Napoli beat Fiorentina 2-1 last weekend, leading to claims the pitch had been invaded by a fungus, struggled in extreme heat or was not treated properly over the summer.

“It was evident the pitch was disastrous and as a fan and the Mayor I wanted to understand why it was in that condition,” Luigi De Magistris told Radio CRC.

“All the authorities want to figure out what had caused this situation, as it was damaging to the team and to the whole city when this game was shown around the world.

“Was there sabotage? We have not ruled out this possibility and I sent my administrators to make all the necessary checks. We will not accept any illegality, not even within the San Paolo, where in the past there have been some unclear incidents.

“I can only hope the pitch is back to normal on September 20, but it doesn’t depend on me. If the President asks us for help, we will provide it. We can step in for emergency support.”

The pitch issue has fuelled existing debate over building a new stadium in Naples.

“Everyone wants this stadium, but the positioning is complex, as some want it in Fuorigrotta, others Pianura and some Scampia.

“We are awaiting all the offers and will evaluate the projects presented to us. Napoli have a great club and a great President, so we must all contribute to the city having a great new stadium too. We must always aim for the best.”

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