Real Madrid News
RFEF president confirms Santiago Bernabeu as preferred venue for 2027 Nations League final
The Santiago Bernabeu stands as one of the big monuments of world football. After its renovation, it is now a state-of-the-art venue with facilities that few other stadiums can match.
So far, however, the Bernabeu has yet to host a major football spectacle since its renovation, primarily because the construction has still officially not concluded.
Now, however, the iconic venue could be close to earning the rights to host its first mega footballing night as the RFEF have something special planned for the city of Madrid.
Set for a grand finale
Indeed, as confirmed by Fabrizio Romano in a recent update, the Spanish Football Federation president Rafael Louzan has confirmed that documents are being submitted to UEFA to host the final four and the final of the 2027 UEFA Nations League in Spain.
The two venues selected as top candidates are Jose Zorilla and the Santiago Bernabeu, and the Bernabeu is the chosen venue to host the final.
Needless to say, this comes as massive news for Real Madrid who will look to turn the night into a festival if confirmed.
Having a game of the stature of the Nations League final at the Bernabeu would only be fitting, and there is a good chance the World Champions Spain may also be participating in the title clash.
A buildup to a greater spectacle?
With Spain being one of the primary hosts of the next FIFA World Cup, there has been a massive debate in recent times as to which venue should host the final of the 2030 edition.
The Santiago Bernabeu, needless to say, stands out as one of the top contenders, but Barcelona’s new and renovated Spotify Camp Nou also has a strong claim given its boosted capacity. However, the Hassan II Stadium in Casablanca is also in the running.
Hosting the 2027 Nations League final, needless to say, provides the Bernabeu officials and Real Madrid offices with an opportunity to show the world why they deserve the chance to host the next World Cup final.
In many ways, it could also be RFEF’s means of testing the venue for the grand finale of the 2030 edition of the World Cup.
Jose Mourinho is looking for solutions to Real Madrid’s problems, and the extended international break has given him time to analyse the team in depth.
Now, according to Defensa Central, one of the conclusions from his assessment concerns Jude Bellingham, Federico Valverde, Bernardo Silva and Arda Guler, the players Mourinho believes should be central to the team’s football.
Although they operate in different positions, the manager wants all four to take a step forward on the pitch.
He wants them to push their lines higher and move closer to the opposition penalty area, believing this would help Real Madrid both defensively and offensively.
Mourinho wants to pin opponents inside their own box
Mourinho wants Real Madrid’s play to go through Bellingham, Valverde, Bernardo and Guler, but he has also asked them to start creating attacks much closer to the opposition area and to link up more closely with the forwards.
The idea is to make the team more compact in possession and force opponents deeper into their own half.
If Real Madrid’s midfield can build play much higher up the pitch, opponents will have to retreat. That would allow Mourinho’s side to improve their pressing, make it more effective and increase the volume of attacks.
As a result, Real Madrid should create considerably more opportunities to score.
A compact Real Madrid for 90 minutes
Mourinho wants his team to stay together and remain compact throughout the full 90 minutes, rather than doing so only in short periods.
Defensively, this would reduce the spaces available for opponents to build their attacks and could force them to play more directly, looking to exploit the space behind the defensive line.
That is an area where the pace and defensive ability of Marc Cucurella and Denzel Dumfries, alongside Aurelien Tchouameni, can provide protection.
The same compactness could also benefit Real Madrid in attack by keeping opponents pinned back. Mourinho wants to use the quality of his players to create a greater number of dangerous situations.
Mourinho’s idea is that Real Madrid’s most talented players must push the team forward and help them put opponents under pressure much closer to the box.
