Barcelona have lodged an official complaint with organisers UEFA about the state of the pitch at the San Siro for Wednesday’s 0-0 Champions League quarter-final first leg draw with AC Milan.

Players continually slipped on the surface and chunks of turf came loose at regular intervals as the Serie A side frustrated the holders ahead of Tuesday’s return leg at the Nou Camp.

“(Barcelona) passed the matter over to UEFA delegate Mikalai Varabyov at the post-match meeting,” the Spanish team said in a statement on Thursday.

“Varabyov has included the complaint in his report and UEFA will demand an explanation from the Italian club.

“In the end we adapt to everything … but it’s clear that this was a problem for the spectacle,” said Barca coach Pep Guardiola in his post-game news conference.

AC Milan vice-president Adriano Galliani acknowledged the pitch needed resurfacing and said they were in talks with Inter Milan, the club they share the stadium with, to find a solution.

“At the end of the season if we have an agreement it can be done,” Galliani told the Italian sports daily La Gazzetta dello Sport. “I’ll fight for this new pitch.”

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