Real Madrid News
Real Madrid outcast exploring options in various countries as summer exit looms
There are several Real Madrid players who are facing an uncertain future at Santiago Bernabeu ahead of the coming summer. But one player who is destined to leave the club is Mariano Diaz.
The forward will see out his contract at the Bernabeu at the end of the season, reports Fabrizio Romano. He will leave the club within the coming weeks.
Romano points out that Diaz has already started looking for potential suitors. He is particularly looking at options across various countries, perhaps hoping to land in one of the emerging and high-paying leagues.
The Asian leagues such as the Saudi Professional Football League or even the Japanese or Chinese leagues have become quite a lucrative destination for footballers lately, as they can earn quite a fortune, compared to the salaries in Europe.
Even Real Madrid superstar Luka Modric was approached by Saudi clubs this summer, offering a lucrative salary. However, whether or not those clubs will be interested in the prospect of signing Diaz remains to be seen.
Formerly of Olympique Lyon, the 29-year-old has really struggled since returning to the Bernabeu in 2018. He has scored only six league goals since his arrival, three of which came during the 2018/19 campaign.
This season, Diaz has featured in 150 minutes of La Liga action, falling behind all the other attacking stalwarts in the packing order. His struggling form, therefore, can be a big deterrent for prospective buyers.
However, all is not done for Diaz just yet. The forward still has a relatively good track record in Europe, notably scoring 21 goals in 48 matches during his time at Lyon. He has also won almost every trophy at Real Madrid. The player will hope this record can help him land a lucrative destination in the coming summer.
As for Real Madrid, they have already kickstarted their efforts to sign a replacement, with an attacker emerging as one of their three priorities heading into the summer transfer window.
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.
