Manchester United coach Jose Mourinho with Juan Mata, Marcos Rojo and Ander Herrera during training, Rostov-on-Don, Russia. Reuters / Maxim Shemetov
Rostov-on-Don, Russia: Coach Jose Mourinho slammed the state of the Rostov pitch on Wednesday ahead of Manchester United's Europa league tie, questioning whether the game should go ahead.
"It's still hard for me to believe that we are going to play," Mourinho said at a press conference in Rostov ahead of Thursday's last-16 tie.
"I know that we have to, but it is hard for me to believe we are going to play on that field -- if you can call it a field."
Mourinho compared the pitted and damaged Olimp-2 stadium pitch in Rostov to the surface at Beijing's Bird's Nest Olympic Stadium where Manchester United and City refused to play a pre-season friendly last year.
"I don't know which team to play, really," he said.
"I have now a lot to think (about) because I was expecting something more playable.
"On a very similar pitch in the summer in China, me and Manchester City decided not to play, but it looks like we have to play."
He said he spoke of the risks of playing on the surface to a UEFA official and was rebuffed.
"I didn't have any contact with anyone until now. I just had a quick contact with gentleman from UEFA when I was looking at the pitch," he said.
"When I told him about my concerns the gentlemen just told me the players are insured -- if something happens no problem."
