Real Madrid News
Report – The reason why Real Madrid defender was benched against Atletico
Real Madrid celebrated a crucial 3-2 victory over neighbours Atletico Madrid last night at the Santiago Bernabeu before heading off into the international break.
A brace from Vinicius Jr. and a strike from Federico Valverde secured all three points for the hosts, despite the latter getting sent off late in the game.
It marked another important result for manager Alvaro Arbeloa, who has now defeated Jose Mourinho, Pep Guardiola, and Diego Simeone all in a little over a month.
Trent benched – here’s why
Against Atletico Madrid, Arbeloa largely stuck to the lineup that had gotten the job done for him in the Manchester City tie. But one major change on Sunday saw captain Dani Carvajal replace Trent Alexander-Arnold at right-back.
A report from AS has provided an explanation as to why the England international was not part of the starting XI for the Madrid derby.
Speaking to the media after the game, Arbeloa explained his decision saying: “I pick the best starting XI for every game, and I think Carvajal had some very good minutes; he was all over Lookman.
“I’m happy with him and with how Trent has come along. I’m happy to have so many options. And that everyone contributes as they did today.”
However, as per the report, the decision from Arbeloa followed a disciplinary issue. Trent arrived late to a training session earlier in the week.
Although he apologised, the coach opted to leave him on the bench as a corrective measure. The player accepted and understood the decision made by the Spanish tactician.
Trent’s absence from the starting eleven is considered a one-off decision. The overall assessment within the club remains unchanged: he continues to be regarded as the first-choice right-back.
While he did not start on the night against Atletico, he did come off the bench, replacing Carvajal in 64th minute.
With the full-back not being called up by England for the international break, he will remain at Real Madrid and prepare for the decisive phase of the season.
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.
