Real Madrid News
Real Madrid are finally set to announce the contract extension of midfield icon
In a positive update, Fabrizio Romano is reporting that Real Madrid are finally set to announce the contract extension of veteran midfielder Toni Kroos.
The former German international’s current contract with the Merengues was set to expire on June 30. But talks between both parties over a renewal had been taking place for a while now and an agreement had been reached some time ago.
However, an official announcement is yet to be made. This sparked interest in Kroos from Saudi Arabia, who tabled a lucrative contract offer for the 33-year-old midfield legend.
The former Bayern Munich star, though, was quick to turn down the proposal as he wishes to continue at the Santiago Bernabeu for one more season.
And, now, Romano is reporting that Real Madrid will make an official announcement regarding Kroos’ new contract imminently. The Los Blancos legend will be renewing his contract by one year until 2024.
Despite his advancing years, Kroos continues to remain a crucial part of Carlo Ancelotti’s plans at Real Madrid.
During the 2022/23 campaign, the 33-year-old featured in 52 matches across all competitions, scoring two goals and setting up six more.
A number of his appearances came in the defensive midfield role, a trend that might continue in the upcoming season as well, considering that Real Madrid have signed Jude Bellingham from Borussia Dortmund in a deal worth €103 million.
Once Kroos’ renewal is officially confirmed, the Merengues will hope to announce the contract extension of fellow veteran midfielder Luka Modric, who is also attracting serious interest from clubs in Saudi Arabia and Qatar.
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.
