Coventry City vs Bristol City to go ahead - Carabao Cup clash to be played 40 miles away

Bristol City’s first round Carabao Cup clash on Wednesday with Coventry City will go ahead, but it will be played more than 40 miles away from the host city.

Problems with the playing surface at the Coventry Building Society Arena has meant that an alternative venue has had to be found at short notice to stage the match.

The Sky Blues’ Championship fixture with Rotherham United on Sunday was postponed as a result of match officials deaming the pitch to be ‘unsafe’ and ‘unplayable’

After dialogue between City, Coventry and the English Football League, it has been decided than Burton Albion’s Pirelli Stadium will host the tie. The match will take place at the same time and date of August 10th with a 7:45pm kick-off.

A statement from Coventry City read: The pitch at the Arena was deemed unplayable and unsafe on Saturday and it has been decided, following discussions with the Arena today, that there will not be sufficient improvement of the playing surface for the game to be played on Wednesday at the Arena.

“We are unable to reverse the fixture and want to play the game to ensure our participation in the competition, so Coventry City put in place an agreement for this game to be played elsewhere.

“Coventry City will play at the Pirelli Stadium for one game only, and we hope that this means that the Arena and Wasps will have time to make the required improvements to the pitch by our next home league game on Tuesday 16^th August against Wigan Athletic.

“The Club explored other options, including EFL and non-league clubs locally as well as reversing the fixture, but this was not possible and we thank Burton Albion for their support in enabling us to fulfil the fixture.”

There is a 41.3 mile distance from Coventry's stadium to Burton's, which will make for a considerable journey for home supporters, they have however groundshared at Birmingham City and Northampton Town before.

The Pirelli Stadium welcomed the blue half of Bristol on Saturday with it being a happy day for the Gas, after they secured a 4-0 win over Burton.