Inter and Milan go head-to-head at the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza this weekend and will do so on a pitch that has new patches and old areas painted green.
The game is scheduled to kick off on Saturday at 17.00 GMT when Serie A resumes after the break for international duty.
That time was used wisely, as sections of the turf were re-laid after both coaches Simone Inzaghi and Stefano Pioli complained that the state of the pitch was simply appalling.
It was pushed to breaking point when for the first time ever, Milan and Inter played Serie A home fixtures in the same round.
However, La Repubblica writes that only parts of the pitch are new and others are old, creating a strange patchwork effect.
In order to cover up the evident differences and make it look better on television, it’s reported the patchier areas will be painted green.
It’s hardly a new approach, as this was done a decade ago during the very worst times of the San Siro pitch.
What the paint will not do is fix the core issue, which is the turf is very hard and grass is patchy at best.
The playing surface at the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza is by a Swiss company, 70 per cent natural grass and 30 per cent synthetic fibres.
The third tier constructed for the 1990 World Cup has been blamed for reducing the airflow and sun inside the stadium, therefore damaging the grass even more.
Verso Inter-Milan, il prato di San Siro si rifà il look: sistemato ma anche verniciato https://t.co/zqGhg1dVwp
— MilanNews.it (@MilanNewsit) February 1, 2022
Make sure to send the bill to the Lega for that stupidity in the calendar. Never saw that happen in all my years as a Milan supporter.
Yes, the pitch isn’t fantastic but doesn’t need further obstacles to face on top of the challenges it already has.
Thanks goodness the intl break came around as players (from both home teams and visiting) would have been injured at every game.
Advantage Inter, they play a style with a lot of crosses and score many headers. Milan mostly play on the ground unless desperate.
Good point @Milan Fan. Hopefully our defence and Magic Eagle will be able to deal with them!
The pitch was in shocking condition. The repairs do sound suspiciously inadequate but lets see