Blow for fans as Manchester derby in China cancelled due to bad weather
Jul 25, 2016 at 2:01 PM
For fans in Asia, watching teams like Manchester United and Real Madrid is a dream-come-true.
So when it was announced that Beijing, the capital of China will be hosting a Manchester derby as a part of the pre-season Champions Cup, there was a lot of interest in the fans across the country.
It was a Manchester derby, which would see Pep Guardiola and Jose Mourinho, arguably the two best managers in the world go head to head, and the game was supposed to be a thrilling contest with the Champions Cup on line.
However, the fans were dealt a huge blow earlier today after it was revealed that the game that was scheduled for Monday was called off.
It is revealed that Beijing, the capital city of China, received abnormal amounts of rain which has caused the city’s economy also to come to a halt.
On the eve of such a weather, the organisers of the International Champions Cup along with the two clubs involved in the game decided that the playing surface was not up to the standard required and decided mutually to call off the game.
It would have been the first time Mourinho and Guardiola would go head to head after their stint in Spain at Real Madrid and Barcelona respectively.
But with two completely different clubs, this time, around, the battle was set to produce some superb moments.
However, it is now a disheartening news for the fans of both the clubs and also the fans of the players as they will miss out on watching their stars in action in their city.
A twitter post from the official Manchester United twitter handle tweeted: “Due to recent weather events, tournament organisers & participating clubs have decided to cancel tonight’s International Champions Cup game.”
Here is the tweet:
Due to recent weather events, tournament organisers & participating clubs have decided to cancel tonight's International Champions Cup game.
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) July 25, 2016
In more ways than one, this decision might affect the revenues of the clubs and the organisers of the ICC but playing on a field no deemed fit for football is not what a pre-season game should be like.
These games are supposed to ease players into the new season but such playing conditions can only worsen their condition.
Though it is a blow for the fans, it is the right decision for the club and the players.