Real Madrid News
Real Madrid defender forces his way back into the picture under Mourinho after new signing’s slow start
Marc Cucurella’s arrival in the summer seemingly shut the door to any doubts on who would be the starting left-back at Real Madrid for the new season.
The defender, after all, was coming off a stunning World Cup-conquering run with the Spanish national team and even had a claim as one of the best left-backs in the world.
His start to life at his new club, however, has not been as glamorous as one would expect and the void has allowed a road back to prominence for Alvaro Carreras.
Given Cucurella’s participation in the World Cup, the player started the team’s first two games as a substitute and was gradually introduced as a starter. While he started well, his recent performances including at the derby have been disappointing.
A hard-fought competition
As reported by AS, the situation has seemingly opened the doors for Carreras who has been solid in every minute handed to him so far this season.
Cucurella’s poor form coupled with Carreras’ high level in recent weeks have created the stage for a competition not many saw coming.
Carreras, for his part, is prepared to fight hard and earn back his place as the first-choice left-back. So far, the momentum is in his favour, and the pressure on Cucurella is growing at a higher speed.
A healthy rivalry
With Cucurella starting off slow, it was Carreras who started Real Madrid’s season as the starting left-back against both Espanyol and Real Sociedad.
Cucurella, however, left a mark as a substitute in the second game and then chained three consecutive starts under his belt against Malaga, Inter Milan and Real Betis.
The manager moved the World Cup winner back to the bench for the clash against Rayo Vallecano, and Carreras made the most of it by winning a penalty and scoring once on the night.
In the most recent games, Cucurella again returned as a starter, and his performance at the derby was disastrous. Giuliano Simeone made life very difficult for the defender and dominated the flank completely for the ninety minutes.
From Mourinho’s point of view, however, it can only be good news for the position to be so hard fought. After all, it is only tough competition that brings the best out of players.
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.
