Real Madrid News
Report: La Liga and UCL regulations for the retractable roof at the Santiago Bernabeu
The new Santiago Bernabeu is a state-of-the-art facility that boasts a perfect blend of rustic beauty and technological marvels. The stadium is yet to be officially inaugurated, but several of its features are already functional.
One such architectural marvel in the stadium is the closable roof that was seen in action for the first time in Real Madrid’s recent game against Getafe.
Despite the torrential rain on the night, the clash against Jose Bordalas’ men went on unperturbed owing to the newly unveiled facility.
New features bring new regulations
According to reports from MARCA, there will be significant legislation over when Real Madrid can close the roof of the stadium on matchdays. It cannot be a spontaneous decision taken based on the weather.
According to the Spanish outlet, the rules will vary based on the competition.
Los Blancos will have the freedom to decide if the roof stays open or shut in La Liga. Once decided, however, they cannot change the configuration during half-time.
The story in the UEFA Champions League will be different. UEFA will have the power to decide the setting ahead of kickoff, but the configuration can be changed at half-time based on the need.
A time-taking process
Building a retractable roof for a stadium of the Bernabeu’s size is no mean feat. With no beams or pillars to support it, it is nothing short of an architectural marvel.
The shelter is said to include over 35,000 tonnes of materials, and the heavy build unsurprisingly makes it a long-drawn task to close the roof.
Closing or opening the shelter takes a complete 35 minutes. In any case, it will be impossible to completely reverse the configuration in the half-time break and it remains to be seen if the legislation includes any rules concerning the spillover time.
Aurelien Tchouameni has had an exciting start to his career at Real Madrid. Since joining the club for almost €80 million last summer, the young Frenchman has now become a pivotal figure in Real Madrid’s midfield unit.
However, prior to his move to Santiago Bernabeu, the midfielder was closely linked with a move to Paris Saint-Germain.
In a recent interview, Tchouameni opened up on his links to PSG but revealed his decision to join Real Madrid.
Aurelien Tchouameni on PSG links
Talking about speculations linking him to PSG, Tchouameni said (h/t Madrid Zone), “PSG? Frankly, I thought about it. It’s a very big European club, we want the French clubs to succeed.”
“But honestly, when Real Madrid calls you, it’s very complicated to say no,” Tchouameni added.
The midfielder was linked with a move to PSG during his time at AS Monaco. Les Parisiens wanted to sign the youngster as part of their plans to reinforce the midfield unit.
Tchouameni, though, ended up opting for a move to Real Madrid, which turned out to be a prudent decision from the midfielder’s end.
Tchouameni’s career at Real Madrid
Aurelien Tchouameni made a total of 50 competitive appearances during his maiden season at Real Madrid.
Although the Frenchman was not entirely a first-team regular in Carlo Ancelotti’s setup, his stature in the team is expected to grow in the coming years.
Especially as Toni Kroos and Luka Modric move on at the end of the season, there is scope for Tchouameni to become a first-team regular in the Real Madrid midfield in the years to come.
The former AS Monaco starlet has already played a crucial role in the starting eleven so far this season and it is only going to continue as the season progresses.
