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Real Madrid’s iconic stadium, the Santiago Bernabeu, is currently undergoing a major renovation that has had a noticeable impact on the playing surface. The club has already replaced the turf four times this season, and it will be replaced for a fifth time before the Champions League semi-final against Manchester City on May 9.
The renovation of the stadium has been ongoing since 2019, and it is expected to be completed by the start of the 2022-23 season. The upgrade will see the capacity of the stadium increase from 81,000 to 90,000, with a retractable roof and new VIP areas among the new features.
However, the development work has had a knock-on effect on the quality of the pitch. Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois and midfielder Marco Asensio have both been critical of the surface on many occasions. Even the head coach Carlo Ancelotti has reiterated that issue persists with the pitch.
“It is quite evident that the work affects the turf. This was known,” Ancelotti said after Saturday night’s 2-0 win over Celta Vigo. “They have changed it periodically, and they are going to change it periodically. It is nothing new or surprising. The turf is suffering, and they are working on it. I think they are going to change it before City. It was the idea before.”
Real Madrid’s next home game is against Almeria on May 1, and the club will hope to have the pitch in better condition by then. The team will also play Girona in La Liga on Tuesday, as they look to keep up their title challenge.
Despite the problems with the pitch, Real Madrid have had a successful season so far. They are currently second in La Liga, just two points behind leaders Atletico Madrid, with four games remaining. They have also reached the semi-finals of the Champions League, where they will face Manchester City in a repeat of the 2016 semi-final.
Real Madrid have a proud history in the Champions League, having won the competition a record 13 times. They will be hoping to add to that tally this season, and a victory over Manchester City would take them one step closer to achieving that goal.
