Real president wants covered Bernabeu

Real Madrid plan to cover their famous Santiago Bernabeu stadium in the heart of the Spanish capital, the club’s president Florentino Perez has said.

The nine-time Europoean champions envisage fitting a roof as part of an extensive upgrade to the venue built in 1947, Perez told Real Madrid’s annual general meeting.

“The upgrade must convert the stadium into an icon of sports architecture. We must be leaders in everything, even in our facilities,” he was quoted as saying in the local media.

Perez did not say when the works to renovate the stadium would begin, saying only that “it will not be easy”.

The stadium, named after a former Real chairman, has undergone several upgrades since it first opened its doors and can now accommodate over 80,000 fans. It attracts about 700,000 tourists each year.

The venue staged last season’s Champions League final in which Inter Milan beat Bayern Munich.