Real Madrid News
Real Madrid megastar back at 100%, poised to start against Atletico Madrid
After a tough outing against Manchester City, where they managed to secure their place in the UEFA Champions Laegue quarter-final, another difficult challenge awaits Real Madrid.
After all, Los Blancos are set to face off against bitter rivals Atletico Madrid in the derby this Sunday at the Santiago Bernabeu in La Liga.
Mbappe set to start
And, in what comes as a massive boost for Real Madrid, Kylian Mbappe is all set to return to the starting lineup, reports AS.
The French megastar’s last start for Los Blancos came exactly a month ago against Osasuna on 21 February – a game in which he looked off colour due to the persistent knee discomfort he had been dealing with.
After nearly spending a month out of action, during which he missed five matches, Mbappe came back this week, playing a little over 20 minutes in the game against Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium.
And, as per the report, the 27-year-old superstar forward is back training at 100% and appears all set to be named in the starting lineup on Sunday against Atletico Madrid.
This will come as a huge boost for Real Madrid, given that Mbappe has been one of their best players this season and is also the team’s leading goalscorer.
The Frenchman’s return to the starting XI could, however, force Brahim Diaz to drop out of the lineup despite the 26-year-old making a good impression in the last few matches.
Meanwhile, Real Madrid are also expected to welcome Alvaro Carreras back to the team, while David Alaba, Jude Bellingham, and Ferland Mendy, too, are set to be named in the squad after leaving their physical issues behind.
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.
