Real grass playing surface to be installed in UE Sant Andreu and CE Europa grounds

Lower league football in Barcelona is in a healthy position. 

UE Sant Andreu claimed the Segona RFEF group 3 title with two games to spare, securing promotion to the third tier of Spanish football with a 2-1 home win to Reus. 

Meanwhile, CE Europa have enjoyed a hugely successful season in the third division that their crosstown rivals have now been promoted into. As the season draws to a close, the Gràcia club still have a chance at winning promotion into the second division.

However, after a significant downturn in form in the second half of the season, Europa's chances of ending the season on a high are fading. 

This has largely been driven by the club's forced move away from their home stadium, the Nou Sardenya, and into Can Dragó, a repurposed athletics track fitted with temporary stands. 

The reason for this move is the fact that federation rules state that clubs in the third tier must play their games on real grass surfaces, rather than artificial grass, as is the case in Europa's Nou Sardenya and Sant Andreu's Narcís Sala stadiums. 

Yet, Monday brought highly anticipated news for both clubs who have enjoyed exponential growth in recent years. The Barcelona City Council has agreed to relay the surface of both municipally-owned grounds and install real grass pitches. 

On Monday morning, officials from both clubs met with the mayor of Barcelona, ​​Jaume Collboni and the local councilor for Sports, David Escudé.

The news means that Europa will be able to return home, while Sant Andreu stave off the threat of having to potentially move out of their neighbourhood. 

A grassroots campaign gathered over 8,000 signatures urging the council to change the surface and allow Sant Andreu to stay in their home.

A statement from the city council said that "UE Sant Andreu and CE Europa are two of the city's leading teams and their respective promotions, Europa last season and UE Sant Andreu this year, are a source of pride for the city and have been the result of years of work with the club's base."

"In this sense, Barcelona City Council has studied several alternatives, both immediate and future, to ensure compliance with the Primera RFEF regulations that require matches to be played on natural grass. At the same time, the City Council has worked and will continue to insist together with all institutions to modify the current regulations regarding grass, for reasons of environmental, economic, sporting and social sustainability, as well as to extend the deadline for the installation of natural grass for teams promoted to Primera RFEF."

UE Sant Andreu finish their triumphant campaign at home to Barbastro on Sunday, May 3, with huge celebrations expected in the neighbourhood following the game. 

CE Europa have four games remaining and currently occupy the last spot to qualify for the playoffs, from which two of eight teams will be promoted into LaLiga2. 

Elsewhere in Catalan football, CE Sabadell sit top of the same third-tier group that Europa are in, with an excellent chance of winning promotion directly to the second division.

The Arlequinats are enjoying a phenomenal season, having just been promoted from the fourth tier.