Real Madrid are considering requesting to play their opening home fixtures of next season's La Liga campaign at Atletico Madrid's Wanda Metropolitano stadium, as their wait to return to Santiago Bernabeu goes on.
Los Blancos played last year's home games at their training ground, Estadio Alfredo Di Stefano, but with fans set to return to stadiums in the near future, the club wants to welcome as many supporters as possible.
Their current temporary home boasts a modest capacity of only 6,000 seats, which would be nowhere near enough to satisfy the demand of the Madridistas.
And Marca reports that Madrid are contemplating playing their opening matches at rivals Atleti's Wanda Metropolitano, to fully capitalise on the financial benefits of fans' return to football games.
Real are not prepared to rush the completion of the Bernabeu's renovations, and so will not risk laying plans for their return home for the first game of the season. That means they could move instead to the Wanda Metropolitano until the end of October, when the construction work is expected to come to an end.
Madrid have also asked La Liga to adjust the calendar for next season, allowing them to play as many away games as possible in the opening weeks of the campaign. This would then hand them the opportunity to play almost a full home fixture list in their newly-renovated stadium.
The Spanish giants may then only have to make arrangements for two Champions League home ties, significantly reducing the number of missed matches at their proper stadium.
Despite the two clubs' fierce rivalry, relationships between the pair are good. Atleti have stated in the past that they would welcome Madrid into their home, should the situation arise.
"Let us be clear that we are at Real Madrid's disposition," said current Rojiblancos president Enrique Cerezo.
This article was originally published on 90min as Real Madrid could ask to play at Atletico's Wanda Metropolitano next season.
Source: www.90min.com