Montenegro v Wales: Uefa steps in to fix Podgorica pitch

Wales’ Nations League match in Montenegro is set to go ahead at the Podgorica National Stadium after Uefa intervened to help fix its problematic pitch.

There had been concerns the game on Monday, 9 September would have to be moved to an alternative venue after the pitch was deemed unfit for a Uefa Conference League qualifier earlier this month.

As a result, Buducnost Podgorica’s fixture against CSKA Sofia was switched to the nearby DG Arena.

Reports in the Montenegrin media, external showed the Podgorica National Stadium pitch to be dry and cratered in places, with large areas of grass missing.

However, Uefa and the Football Association of Wales have sent delegations to the Montenegrin capital, and both are confident next month’s Nations League meeting will go ahead as originally planned.

“The aim is currently still to play in Podgorica and this is why several club matches have been relocated to other venues,” a Uefa spokesperson told BBC Sport Wales.

“A Uefa pitch consultant has been deployed to Montenegro to assist the local groundsmen to this effect. An alternative venue would only need to be chosen should the pitch treatment not produce the necessary improvements over the next few weeks.”

Wales’ match against Montenegro will be their second under new manager Craig Bellamy, who begins his reign with a Nations League match at home to Turkey on Friday, 6 September.