Anderlecht is set to face a key match against Kairat Almaty in the Europa League, but the team will have to deal with a subpar pitch due to an event held by rapper Kanye West. The Ortalyk Stadium will host the home match between Kairat Almaty and Anderlecht, where the paars-wit team aims to secure a good starting position in the final Europa League round.
Alas, the stadium is not exclusively used by Kairat Almaty. Last week, American rapper Kanye West held a concert there. He went all out to provide his fans with a spectacular show, including inflating a half-world soccer ball in the middle of the field and setting off fireworks. The aftermath of these events has left its mark, and the Anderlecht troops experienced it firsthand. A day before the match, the team trained on the field and saw how it was not in the best condition. The field is not even everywhere, and green is replaced by yellow in some areas.
It is true that some zones are not in optimal condition. "Ah, I didn't know there was a concert on the field, " Lukas Ambros shrugged during the press conference. "We have already been on the field and have noted its condition: it was satisfactory. But it is true that there are some zones where the field is not in optimal condition."
Coach Bruno did not want to use the field as an excuse, but he did reiterate what he had also said for the previous European matches. "We do not consider ourselves favorites. It will be a difficult match. Kairat is a solid team. They played in the Champions League last season. We must not underestimate them. We will try to impose our playing style and achieve a positive result."
Anderlecht, therefore, will also have to deal with the field after its long journey to the east, alongside Kairat Almaty.
