Real Madrid News
Real Madrid managerial target tight-lipped on future – ‘My next goal is…’
Real Madrid are looking for a new manager to replace Alvaro Arbeloa in June, and Florentino Perez has taken a personal interest in the selection of the candidate.
After all, the last two appointments have not quite gone to plan, and the president believes there is a need for an experienced and successful profile to take over.
Several names have been identified as fitting the aforementioned criteria, with the likes of Jose Mourinho, Lionel Scaloni, Didier Deschamps and Jurgen Klopp standing out.
The Portuguese tactician, however, has emerged as the most preferred option for Florentino Perez.
Mourinho’s goal
Speaking to the media earlier today, Mourinho was asked what his next goal is as a manager, trying to get him to open up on the Real Madrid links.
“My next goal is to get Benfica to the Champions League,” he said bluntly, as quoted by Fabrizio Romano, making it clear that he is 100% focused on the job at hand.
The Portuguese manager then elaborated on how close his side are to securing UCL qualification once more, saying: “If we win the next three matches, we’ll play in Europe’s biggest competition. That’s the only thing on my mind.”
Notably, however, Mourinho did not speak about his future beyond this season in any capacity, leaving it as a grey area for the time being.
After all, he is currently contractually obligated to Benfica and cannot speak freely about his desire to leave the club for the Real Madrid project in June.
Yet, rumours make it clear that he is a top target for Los Blancos and that Florentino Perez is personally pushing to sign him.
As relayed earlier today, Benfica have already begun their hunt for Mourinho’s replacement, and it seems that even they are aware of the possibility of him leaving. Only time, however, will tell if he is the chosen one.
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.
