Real Madrid reveal plans to redevelop the Santiago Bernabeu, adding a retractable roof at a cost of £360m

 

• Real Madrid news: All the latest from the Bernabeu
• Real Madrid expect the redevelopment to be fully completed by 2020
• Madrid president Florentino Perez unveiled the plans on Tuesday
• The stadium will maintain its capacity of 80,000 spectators

Real Madrid’s emblematic Santiago Bernabeu stadium will finally get its much-anticipated 400m euros makeover when work begins at the end of this season.

A High Court ruling last year stalled plans for the redevelopment but compromises have since been met and the club’s president Florentino Perez and Madrid mayor Manuela Carmena presented the revised project on Tuesday.

The retractable roof and state-of-the-art encasing of the stadium have been retained from original plans. The proposed hotel and commercial area are still to be negotiated. What is clear is that Madrid will look for a sponsor to part fund the project and with the sponsor having their name tagged on the end of the Santiago Bernabeu stadium name.

Over 4million people visit the ground every year, said Perez, and when the three-year job is complete the stadium will light up the Chamartin district of Madrid with light images rolling 24-7 on the stadium’s LED covering.

The current 81,000 capacity will not be increased but Perez said there would be 3,000 new seats replacing old seating.

The car park that currently separates the ground from Madrid’s most famous avenue ‘Paseo de la Castellana’ had been earmarked for commercial development but it will now be turned into a huge public square.

The club’s museum will increase in size with many of the offices being moved to the Valdebebas training complex alongside the capital’s main airport.

The new roof will keep the rain out although that will not be its principal advantage to the club. Madrid only receives around 17 inches of rain in a year – London receives 22 inches – but a ‘soft-top stadium offers more space for advertisting – and is a potential home for the eventual stadium sponsor’s name.

As well as the retractable roof the stadium will also boast a 360 degree electronic scoreboard running around its perimeter.

For work to begin in 2017, as is hoped, the latest proposal needs to sail through the formality of not being opposed by local residents. With the original complaints having been addressed that is expected to happen and give way to a process of bidding for the construction contract. Perez, who has made his fortune in construction, confirmed his company ACS would not be part of the bidding process.

German architects GMP Arckitekten and Catalan design companies L35 and Ribas&Ribas are behind what Perez called: ‘A spectacular transformation of the stadium’ originally inaugurated in 1947.

Abu Dabi investment company IPIC who own the Spanish oil company Cepsa are favourites to win the bidding war to sponsor the ground with the Santiago Bernabeu IPIC stadium the likely new full name.

Perez was in buoyant mood at the presentation and was unperturbed by questions about the team’s lengthening injury list that has a new victim after Sergio Ramos was told he will miss the next six weeks with a knee injury.

Zinedine Zidane is already without first choice plaeyrs Marcelo, Casemiro and Luka Modric as he tries to reverse a run of four straight draws.

Perez even vowed to fight the 18m euros fine imposed on the club by the EU commission for illegal state aid.

Perez said: ‘We have appealed the verdict and I am convinced we will win.’