Inp.polri.go.id - Jakarta. Football club Persija Jakarta head coach Carlos Pena criticized the poor pitch quality at Patriot Candrabhaga Stadium, questioning its suitability for Liga 1 matches.

“This stadium’s grass is unfit for Liga 1,” he said after Persija’s 1-3 loss to Arema FC on Sunday (9/3/2025).

Persija has played three consecutive home matches at the Bekasi-based stadium, with a fourth game relocated due to flooding.

“When we played here last time, the conditions were terrible. Moving to Indomilk Arena was much better,” Pena added, as quoted by antaranews.com.

Captain Rizky Ridho echoed his concerns, questioning what had changed after recent renovations.

“The grass is the same, locker rooms are unchanged, and even bathrooms are damaged,” Ridho said.

Despite government-funded upgrades, players see little improvement.

Pena reaffirmed Jakarta International Stadium (JIS) as Persija’s true home, citing superior facilities and atmosphere. JIS was officially designated as Persija’s home venue on 20 February 2025 following an agreement with PT Jakarta Propertindo (Jakpro)

(mg/inp/pr/nm)