Spain midfielder Cesc Fabregas has blamed the state of the pitch for his team's failure to beat Italy in their Euro 2012 Group C opener.
The 25-year-old rescued a 1-1 draw for his side, equalising after Antonio Di Natale had given the Azzurri a second-half lead.
Fabregas believes that the slow surface in Gdansk prevented the world champions from playing their high-tempo passing game.
He said: "I don't want to complain, but we deserve much more. It is lamentable that we have to play on a pitch like this.
"It has been a difficult match, the most difficult one we have in the group against a very strong rival.
"After going behind it is not a bad result. We are still dependent on ourselves. We have shown character and played well."
Spain's next fixture is against the Republic of Ireland in Gdansk on Thursday.
Written by
Robert Summerscales
Robert Summerscales
