Real Madrid News
Injury-prone Real Madrid defender steps up recovery as he resumes working with the ball
Ferland Mendy continues to make progress in his recovery and provided one of the day’s positive updates for Real Madrid.
Indeed, according to Bernabeu Digital, the French full-back has now started working with the ball, another step in the process aimed at getting him back into competitive action after the injury that has kept him sidelined.
The player himself has offered encouraging feedback on his current condition. Asked about his recovery, Mendy was brief but emphatic: “Great, great. Better.”
His response reflects the positive progress being made as he begins to incorporate ball work into his training sessions.
What happened to Mendy?
Mendy has been out of action for Real Madrid since May earlier this year after suffering from a tendon rupture.
Having started the La Liga game against RCD Espanyol, the 31-year-old left-back had to come off only 15 minutes into the match and tests confirmed the severe blow.
More than five months into his recovery, the Frenchman has taken another important step forward towards making his comeback for Real Madrid.
Mendy begins to see the light at the end of the tunnel
Returning to ball work represents an important milestone for any player approaching the final stages of rehabilitation.
Mendy still has several stages to complete before he can be cleared to play, but this latest development gives Real Madrid greater optimism about his return.
The French full-back is an experienced member of the Madrid squad, and his recovery could give Jose Mourinho another option at left-back.
The manager currently has Marc Cucurella and Alvaro Carreras available in that position, while Mendy’s return would add experience and competition to an especially demanding area of the pitch.
For now, the priority is for Mendy to gradually increase his workload and monitor how his body responds as he continues his rehabilitation.
This positive development is one of several that Real Madrid have received at the start of the week.
Mendy’s fellow defender, Eder Militao, resumed group training today, while Rodrygo, recovering from an ACL injury, has also started training with the ball.
Real Madrid News
Real Madrid resolve their pitch problems as the Bernabeu surface returns to good condition
After years of problems with the pitch, Real Madrid now believe that those issues are now a thing of the past, reports MARCA.
For several seasons, the playing surface at the Santiago Bernabeu had become one of Real Madrid’s biggest headaches. Five pitch changes in a single season, paint used to disguise its poor appearance on television and criticism from all sides.
The club had been trying to solve the problem for some time and now, they believe they have finally found an answer.
The Bernabeu begins to put its turf problems behind it
The latest operation was accelerated following the NFL game between the Miami Dolphins and the Commanders, forcing the club to replace the playing surface in just 72 hours to meet the deadline last season. This time, however, there was an important difference.
After establishing that the underlying structure was in good condition, Real Madrid decided to retain the existing turf panels and hybrid stitching system rather than remove everything and start again.
The new grass was installed over the existing base after being cultivated for several months. The variety selected was RyeBlue Deportivo, a high-performance mixture consisting of 50% perennial ryegrass and 50% Poa pratensis.
Real Madrid hoped the combination would provide a definitive solution. The club’s groundskeeping team has since refined the maintenance process, and the results are encouraging.
The Bernabeu is now in a condition that satisfies the club, and there are no plans to make further changes to the playing surface during the season.
It is the outcome Real Madrid have been pursuing for years, following a situation that eventually concerned the players themselves.
Major concerts remain the Bernabeu’s outstanding challenge
While the pitch problem appears to have been brought under control, the return of major concerts remains the Bernabeu’s biggest unresolved issue.
Real Madrid have spent months working to address the noise problems that forced them to suspend large-scale concerts.
The work has included soundproofing improvements and other measures designed to prevent noise from escaping the stadium. However, there is still no confirmed date for the return of major events.
Real Madrid believe the work carried out has brought the stadium closer to an optimal level of sound insulation.
Several areas have been reinforced to reduce noise escaping outside, with particular attention paid to entrances, enclosures and other points through which sound waves could travel.
The structural soundproofing work is understood to be nearing completion, with final architectural finishing work and official sound-emission tests still outstanding.
In the meantime, Real Madrid are exploring ways to make a return to large-scale events more feasible.
The aim is to make full use of the improvements already completed and establish a model that allows the club to revive an activity that was one of the major commercial attractions of the renovated stadium.
Until that becomes possible, Real Madrid continue to explore other ways of generating revenue from the Bernabeu. Corporate events, award ceremonies, conferences and private celebrations remain among the alternatives.
For Real Madrid, resolving the pitch issue is a significant step forward. Restoring large-scale entertainment to the Bernabeu remains the next major objective.
