Marco Asensio injured on ‘cursed pitch’ during Real Madrid’s win over Arsenal – The Sun

MARCO ASENSIO isn't the first victim of FedEx Field's notoriously dodgy playing surface.

When the Real Madrid winger ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament against Arsenal on Tuesday night, he joined a long list of casualties that the turf has been partially blamed for.

The incident came late on in the 2-2 draw, Asensio backing into Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and getting injured under the striker's innocent pressure.

It is widely expected he will now miss the entirety of the 2019/20 campaign.

Real Madrid have confirmed Asensio will undergo an operation in the coming days.

The Maryland venue, just outside Washington DC, opened in 1997 and hosts the Washington Redskins NFL team.

The 82,000-seater stadium's early years in particular were dogged by complaints.

In 2013, Seattle Seahawks coach Pete Carroll slammed the pitch, stating: "It’s a horrible field.

"It’s as bad as a field can get for being dry. We deserve better."

In addition, Sports Illustrated deemed it the fifth-worst surface in the NFL with it becoming something of a cursed pitch due to a number of high-profile injuries.

Robert Griffin III and Chris Clemons have both suffered major knee injuries at the stadium before Alex Smith broke his leg at FedEx Field in November of last year.

The Redskins quarterback's tibula and fibula broke in a compound fracture sustained during a tackle – an injury he is yet to recover from.

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