Euro 2016: Wales set to train on artificial pitches ahead of Andorra

Wales manager Chris Coleman and his assistant Osian Roberts. They are looking at options to train on artificial surfaces in Wales before facing Andorra on a 3G pitch in a Euro 2016 qualifier on 9 September.

Wales assistant coach Osian Roberts said the team have to prepare well before facing Andorra on an artificial pitch.

Wales' opening Euro 2016 qualifier in Andorra will be played on a 3G surface.

Roberts said the team will train on the synthetic pitches in Wales ahead of the match on 9 September.

He said: "We're preparing here before we go so we will need to train on 3G during the week. It's not ideal but we can't have any excuses."

Roberts said he and manager Chris Coleman are looking at facilities - including Cardiff Blues' Cardiff Arms Park and Cardiff Metropolitan University, which both have 3G surfaces - as training venues for Wales to train before they travel.

"We're preparing here before we go so we will need to train on 3G during the week.

"The important thing is to establish what the length of the pile of the 3G surface in Andorra will be to make sure that we can replicate that over here."

The Football Association of Wales previously said the Andorran FA wanted the game to be played at the new national stadium, which is being built.

The new stadium will hold 4,000 people and Wales are expected to receive 1,000 tickets for the match.

Andorra have been playing their home games at Estadi Comunal d'Andorra la Vella, which holds 850 people.

Roberts said they will need to assess what each player is capable of doing on the firmer surface.

"When Wales played Mexico in a friendly in America in May 2012, they had to train on a 3G surface at the New York Giants' base, which ruled some players out," he added.

"Six of the players couldn't train on it because of knee issues or joint problems so they had to train on a piece of grass whilst the others train on 3G.

"So we'll have to make sure what the players can and can't do as part of our preparations."