Nobody could image that when the lights at the Santiago Bernabeu went out on 1 March 2020 they wouldn’t have been turned on a whole year later, as noted by Marca. The last goal celebrated in the stadium was Mariano’s for Real Madrid in a 2-0 defeat of Barcelona. Then, covid-19 stopped football and closed the stadium, with Madrid moving to Valdebebas.
Cristiano Ronaldo was present at that match after his Juventus match had been suspended because of covid-19, but nobody predicted what was soon to come. Masks were present in the stadium, but few. Pedro Sanchez had declared a State of Alarm by 14 March, with Spain entering a period of confinement and all non-essential sectors, including football, stopped. Florentino Perez was quick to realise that, as industry wasn’t stopped, an opportunity had arisen.
That’s why from 14 April more than 700 workers have come to the Bernabeu every day to renovate it and turn it into the best stadium in the world. The noise of supporters celebrating Mariano’s winner has been replaced by the din of trucks, cranes and machinery. Madrid’s move to Valdebebas didn’t hamper their on-field activity, quite the opposite. Los Blancos put together a machine-like run post-confinement to win La Liga.
I love real Madrid