Soccer-Brazil's Maracana stadium to be closed for pitch maintenance

FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - Copa Libertadores - Group A - Flamengo v Racing Club - Estadio Maracana, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil - June 8, 2023 General view inside the stadium before the match REUTERS/Ricardo Moraes/File Photo

(Reuters) - Brazil's famous Maracana stadium will be closed after the next two scheduled matches to allow the pitch to recover following heavy rains, the venue's administration said on Tuesday.

The iconic venue in Rio de Janeiro is the most used in the country, with 55 matches played there during the season. Last weekend it staged two games with a gap of less than 15 hours.