Real Madrid has not played at their home stadium since the outbreak of the coronavirus. Fans have not been able to attend matches in Spain since March 2020, and Los Blancos have subsequently been playing their home matches at their Alfredo di Stefano stadium – which is usually reserved for their Castilla side.
Madrid were granted permission to start the major construction operation – which is set to be completed for the start of the 2022-23 season – at the 73-year-old venue in March.
They have taken the opportunity to move ahead with plans to modernise the 81,000 capacity ground of Santiago Bernabeu.
In a nearly eight-minute-long video uploaded on their social media channels, the club showed off its latest developments being undertaken through the winter months. One of the most eye-catching new facilities happens to be the retractable pitch at the stadium. The significance of now being able to remove the grass pitch for playing football is that it will also allow the stadium to host a variety of other events including music concerts and other sporting matches.
A 30-metre cave under the stand on the side of the Paseo de la Casetallana has been constructed, allowing the stadium to become significantly more adaptable as it can store the grass pitch when it is not in use.
Another notable feature displayed was the four-floor car park, which the club states will be double-height to allow for trucks and buses to pass through. A giant metal structure consisting of two trusses or fastened beams running from east to west had already been erected as part of the roof construction and will rest on the two new towers on the street of La Castellana back in the early autumn.
Other features which are set to be present in the new finished design will include a 360-degree video screen which will stretch around the entire ground and a new seating section. The club is expected to extend the grounds of the arena to over 66,000 square metres. In addition, it is reported that shops, restaurants and even a hotel will be added to the complex.
The LaLiga champions are set to be spending a whopping £500million on a mammoth makeover for their home in the Spanish capital.
