The match between Caldas SC and SC Braga, counting for the round of 16 of the Portuguese Cup, has undergone an important change: contrary to what was previously established, the game will not take place at Campo da Mata, in Caldas da Rainha, but rather in Torres Vedras (Manuel Marques Stadium), at 7pm today (23 December).
The reasons that led to this inevitable change are related to the fact that the Campo da Mata pitch does not meet the minimum conditions for playing football, due to the heavy rains that have been felt in recent days, a situation that would even jeopardize the physical integrity of all those involved. It should be noted, however, that Caldas SC and SC Braga, from the moment of the draw, worked together to ensure that this game was played at Campo da Mata, something that cannot be verified due to factual issues, which are beyond the control of either Club.
After a thorough evaluation by RED (the entity that manages the overwhelming majority of pitches in Portugal and which is an external partner of the FPF and SC Braga), and after a technical visit carried out today by the Portuguese Football Federation, the conclusion was reached that, for the sake of football and the spectacle, the only solution would be to change the location of the game.
In a preliminary phase of this imbroglio, the possibility of changing the date of this meeting was also raised. However, after internal reflection and careful analysis of all the competitive assumptions that SC Braga will have to face in the next two months (January and February), it would be completely unbearable to fit this game into the calendar, since in addition to the Portuguese Cup, SC Braga is also competing in the Portugal Betclic League, the League Cup and the Europa League.
It should be noted that, from the outset, SC Braga showed its firm willingness to face Caldas SC in the historic Campo da Mata, having made every effort to provide the aforementioned space with conditions that are in line with the preparation needs of our team, namely in the provisional implementation of an external structure that would serve as a pre-game warm-up room and that would also be used for pre- and post-game treatments.
In addition to all the logistics mentioned above, Caldas SC was also provided with full support in the management and maintenance of the Campo da Mata pitch over the last few weeks, through RED, so that this sports venue was in the best possible conditions so that the two teams could compete, on the field and under equal circumstances, to reach the quarter-finals of the Portuguese Cup.
However, and after several attempts to resolve this unavoidable impediment to the game, carried out throughout the day between SC Braga, Caldas SC and the FPF, the final conclusion, now ratified by the FPF, could not be otherwise: the meeting between Caldas SC and SC Braga will take place today, at 7 pm, at the Manuel Marques Stadium, in Torres Vedras.
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