Blatter confident Rio’s Maracana will be ready for Confederations Cup

PanARMENIAN.Net - FIFA president Sepp Blatter has moved to allay fears over the readiness of a number of stadiums in Brazil for the start of the Confederations Cup, BBC News reported.

Workmen are still involved in construction projects at and around the Maracana in Rio, despite the stadium hosting Italy versus Mexico on Sunday, June 16.

However, Blatter said he was not unduly worried by the delays. "I have seen worse situations. Yes there is still work to be done, but it will get done," he said.

"I have been to many tournaments when the painters are still painting the stadiums an hour before the first match. It is not a surprise to me that people are still working.

"It just means that something has not been finished and they need to finish it."

Heavy rainfall in Recife has also raised doubts about the playing surface at the Arena Penambunco, with Spain set to play Uruguay there on Sunday and further heavy rain forecast over the next two days.

Blatter, however, says no tournament he has been involved with has ever run totally smoothly. "Since I was first involved in 1978, I have witnessed a lot of problems like this, but when the tournament started, everything went well.