Real Madrid’s decision to temporarily suspend all concerts scheduled at the Santiago Bernabéu stadium, at least until April, has been welcomed by both the mayor of Madrid, José Luis Martínez-Almeida, and the regional president, Isabel Díaz Ayuso, who praised the “goodwill” of the club chaired by Florentino Pérez. According to Almeida, it has been “a complicated and difficult decision from an economic point of view but also from a reputational point of view”. Ayuso also considered that the club had had “a responsible attitude”.
The decision, however, is due to pressure from the neighborhood after recent events such as Taylor Swift’s three-day concerts at the end of May, or the week of Colombian artist Karol G, residents of the neighborhood complain and denounce the sound leaks. and the crowds in the streets adjacent to the stadium. In May, the municipal police recorded noise levels during concerts exceeding the limits of the regulations in force.
The community and, above all, the Madrid City Council have provided many facilities so that Real Madrid can develop the full potential of the new Bernabéu, the only indoor venue in Spain capable of hosting concerts for almost 80,000 spectators, which has made the capital join the tours of many high-level international artists. This includes the Almeida government that has allocated two municipal car parks for 45 years, for which only the white club has applied. And also that the Ayuso government will spend 66 million euros to expand its metro station.
The suspension of macro-events will affect those that were already scheduled, such as the Music Bank World Tour, which was scheduled to take place on October 12; Aitana’s two dates on her Alpha Tour, on December 28 and 29; and Lola Índigo’s concert, on March 22, 2025.
The mayor, interviewed on Antena 3 this Monday, stressed that “Real Madrid has been cooperative” and thanked him “for taking a complicated and difficult decision from an economic point of view but also from a social point of view.” reputational point of view of suspending concerts. He then recalled that the city council “has always worked to find the best possible solution.” “In public and private, we have been asking Real Madrid for a long time to adopt these measures and that is why I am happy that they have done so and of course I am happy that they are doing the work” to guarantee the soundproofing of the venue, he added. The Madrid mayor also stressed that “we must not forget that (the Bernabéu) is a necessary and important infrastructure for the city of Madrid,” although he explained that his priority “is the rest and well-being of the neighborhood.”
Almeida took advantage of the interview to criticise Reyes Maroto, spokesman for the PSOE: “In the newspaper’s archives, everyone will be able to see that I have always said the same thing about the Santiago Bernabéu stadium and you will also be able to see that Reyes Maroto was so happy at the Taylor Swift concert without caring at all about the people of the Bernabéu because he did nothing with the people of the Bernabéu. “He went there, he took the photo and now he wants to show his face to the neighbours,” he reproached him.
For her part, the president of the Community of Madrid, Isabel Díaz Ayuso, also showed her support this Monday for Real Madrid’s decision to suspend concerts at the Santiago Bernabéu stadium for the time being, considering that the club has had “a responsible attitude”. Ayuso, however, hopes that the necessary reforms will be implemented “as soon as possible”. This is what he expressed during his speech at the ABC Forum, where he stressed that “Real Madrid does a lot for Madrid and especially for Spain”, adding that the club is “one of the best ambassadors” and defended that “it is a pride to have the best stadium in the world in the capital. “It is a very important player for us, in all corners of the world they know this football team and I think that is why we must also thank them”, he stressed.
The paradox of the case is that, although Almeida and Ayuso show understanding towards the residents of the Bernabéu, they have not shown the same empathy as in the complaints filed against the events held at La Caja Mágica, a macro-space and multi-purpose stadium located in the Madrid neighborhood of Usera, south of the city. Sports, cultural and corporate events are held there. Among them, numerous concerts and music festivals that have been disturbing residents of the San Fermín and Orcasur neighborhoods for years, who complain that the noise of the music is unbearable, even though they live several kilometers away.
In June of this year, the San Fermín Neighborhood Association presented an Effective Plan for macro-events in the complex, with requirements to end the noise, mobility problems and dirt they encounter every time the Madrid Open tournament and music festivals take place there. “Why doesn’t the competent sector of the City Council measure the decibels that seriously violate the limits set by the noise pollution ordinance? Isn’t it the Santiago Bernabéu, where this was denounced, because in San Fermín it can be done, the association later denounced in a letter.
