Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini has voiced his concerns over the state of the pitch in the Khimki Arena stadium ahead of their group D match against CSKA Moscow tonight.
The venue is also shared by other Russian side Dinamo Moscow, and has been used by the Russian U-21 team.
The pitch is in a terrible state that has now been compounded by heavy rain making the surface almost unplayable.
Earlier in the competition UEFA ordered CSKA to play their match against Pilzen 394 miles away in St Petersburg because of the condition of the playing surface.
“It is unbelievable that we can play on this pitch,” Pellegrini said. “We must pray because if it rains it will be impossible to play.
“I think the most important competition in the world deserves a better pitch.
“I am surprised because they didn’t allow the other game against Viktoria Plzen to be played here and I think that the person from UEFA who reviewed it shouldn’t have given the authorisation to play here.”
Moscow’s other stadium the all-weather Luzhniki Stadium is out of commission being readied for the 2018 World Cup.
