Real Madrid’s new-look Santiago Bernabeu stadium will be the best stadium in the world, the club’s director of institutional relations Emilio Butragueño has vowed.
The club are currently playing at their Castilla’s side home of the Alfredo di Stefano stadium due to the ongoing construction work at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Butragueño is quoted as telling Marca’s Sport Weekend: “Our stadium is spectacular but it is very big and without any fans at the moment, so we thought that the Di Stéfano could be a good option and, it is also true, it would allow us to continue the development of the works at its ideal pace.
“The stadium development will be an essential and fundamental element for the future of Real Madrid, as the Bernabéu since it was built in 1947. A new stage will begin at the club.
“The stadium is in a strategic location and it will be an icon for the city. We aspire to dominate world football thanks to the stadium. It will be enjoyed 365 days a year. The fans will be able to enjoy the stadium all year long and not the 30 games played a year.
“We know that it is a great challenge, but this is going to help us to aspire to fight on the elite stag of world football in the future. We aspire to be the best and for this we must have the best players and the best stadium – it will be a strategic element.”
The works were prioritised by the club ahead of strengthening the first-team squad this summer with funds instead directed towards the redevelopment, which are intended to pay benefits in the long-term to Los Blancos.
The idea of the reconstruction is to make the stadium more efficient, comfortable and sustainable – whilst also providing greater regular income streams to the club.
In 2016, the Madrid Council -led by mayor Manuela Carmena – had approved the club’s provisional plans but rejected Perez’s idea of integrating a hotel and shopping centre into the facility, in order to increase the club’s revenues.
The capacity of the stadium will remain unchanged, a retractable roof will be put in place while the area is to become more fan-friendly, with a car park removed for public space.