RIO DE JANEIRO, Sept. 10 -- Brazil's iconic Maracana Stadium will be shut for almost a month to allow for repairs to its damaged pitch, the venue's operator said on Monday.

The 79,000-seat Maracana, which hosted the decisive World Cup matches in 1950 and 2017, has been the subject of heavy criticism in recent weeks for the worn and uneven state of its turf.

Maracana SA, which holds a 35-year concession to manage the stadium in Rio de Janeiro's north, confirmed that no games would be staged at the venue from September 13 to October 9.

According to Greenleaf, the company responsible for maintaining the playing surface, the Maracana has been unable to cope with 13 matches in the past 36 days.

Monday's decision means that Brazilian Serie A club Fluminense will be forced to relocate four home matches. The ground's other tenant, Flamengo, will be unaffected by the closure.

Botafogo coach Ze Ricardo described the state of the Maracana pitch as "lamentable" after his team's 1-0 loss to Fluminense in Brazil's Serie A championship on Sunday.

【体坛英语资讯：Maracana stadium shut for pitch repairs】相关文章：

★ 娱乐英语资讯：Smoking doubles stroke risk in younger women

★ 娱乐英语资讯：Rapper Lil Wayne reclaims chart throne

★ 体坛英语资讯：Shaq: I will give Yao fancy new wheels as wedding gift

★ 体坛资讯：Chinese to dominate Thailand Open finals

★ 娱乐英语资讯：Jessica Simpson lathers up for mens magazine cover

★ 体坛英语资讯：Tyson Gay: The fastest sprinter in Osaka

★ 娱乐资讯：New heartache for Longoria-Parker fans at Paris wedding

★ 娱乐英语资讯：K-Feds lawyer wants Spears to pay bill

★ 体坛英语资讯：Portugal, Czech score wins on first day of Euro 2008

★ 体坛英语资讯：11 ministries join hands to combat doping