Parts of the pitch in Manaus's Amazonia arena still looked in poor shape on Wednesday just days ahead of England's Group D World Cup clash with Italy but FIFA said it was confident the grass would be ready in time, Reuters reported. Manaus is deep in Brazil's Amazon jungle, noted for its high temperatures and stifling humidity, and the pitch has been a concern for months. A team of FIFA experts is in Manaus to help deal with the damage. The grass on Wednesday was threadbare in places and discoloured in others. Near one goalkeeper's area patches of sand could clearly be seen poking through. "The pitch in Manaus has been undergoing treatment in preparation for the World Cup. Over the last three months, mitigation procedures have been put in place and there continues to be significant improvement," said FIFA spokeswoman Delia Fischer. "Pitch experts from FIFA and the local operating committee are satisfied that the pitch will be ready for training and the matches, and have been based in Manaus to ensure that all proper procedures are in place." England meet Italy in their Group D opener on Saturday. Jose Melo, the governor of Amazonas state where Manaus is located, said the grass was suffering in the high humidity. -- SPA 21:32 LOCAL TIME 18:32 GMT تغريد
