Kolkata, India: The excitement around India’s first senior international football match against Brazil is already building in Kolkata. But after a visit by officials from the Brazilian Football Confederation, attention has also turned to something much less glamorous but far more important on match day the pitch.
A five-member CBF delegation spent more than two hours at Salt Lake Stadium this week, looking at the playing surface, training facilities, dressing rooms, toilets, hospitality arrangements and other parts of the venue. The delegation was led by Sergio Dimas de Oliveira, general supervisor of Brazil’s men’s national teams.
The visit was part of the preparations for the India-Brazil friendly scheduled for October 3. For Kolkata, the match is a huge occasion. Brazil are five-time world champions, and this will be the first senior international meeting between the two countries.
The inspection was broadly positive from the Indian side. West Bengal Sports Minister Indranil Khan said the Brazilian officials were satisfied with the preparations and had been particularly pleased with the facilities after seeing them for themselves. Hygiene and the condition of the stadium were among the areas examined during the visit.
There is, however, one issue that now needs attention.
Brazilian outlet UOL reported on Sunday that the CBF has concerns about the density of the grass at Salt Lake Stadium. The report said the preliminary assessment raised questions about the playing surface and the possibility of injury if the pitch is not in suitable condition. The CBF is expected to send agronomist Maristela Kuhn to Kolkata for a more detailed assessment.
That does not mean the October 3 match is in doubt. The CBF continues to plan for the fixture, and there is still time for any work that may be needed on the surface. UOL reported that possible measures could include work on the soil, reseeding and deeper irrigation, depending on what the specialist finds.
For the organisers, the timing of the inspection is useful. The match is still several weeks away, giving them an opportunity to address concerns rather than having to deal with them at the last moment.
And there is plenty at stake beyond the pitch.
Kolkata has a long relationship with Brazilian football. The city famously welcomed Pele in 1977 when the Brazilian great arrived with New York Cosmos to play Mohun Bagan at Eden Gardens. Nearly five decades later, another Brazilian football occasion is drawing attention across the country.
This time, the Brazilian national team itself will walk onto the Salt Lake Stadium pitch.
For Indian football, that makes the condition of the ground more than a technical detail. Fans will want the night to be remembered for the football, not for questions about whether the venue was ready.
With Brazil’s officials having now seen the stadium first-hand, the message is fairly simple: the preparations have started, and there is still work to do.
October 3 is getting closer. Kolkata just has to make sure the stage is ready when the stars arrive.
