UEFA president Michel Platini has urged caution over the growing use of plastic pitches for top-level domestic and international matches.
Platini was speaking in Manchester after official handover of the UEFA Cup to city officials in preparation for this year's final at the City of Manchester Stadium on 14 May.
Last week, Platini's FIFA counterpart Sepp Blatter expressed enthusiasm for plastic pitches and even suggested climate concerns could lead to the whole of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa being played on artificial surfaces.
But while Platini remains a staunch supporter of artificial turf in cases where the lack of natural grass is restricting development, he maintains that the traditional surface remains preferable.
Platini said: 'I think for the development of football artificial pitches are wonderful but I have always played on grass.
'I prefer grass, but now a lot of private owners want an artificial pitch because they also want to stage concerts.
'But it is difficult in Africa to find enough water to put on the pitches. For the developing world, artificial pitches may be the future because of the lack of water.'
