TThe NFL will host a historic game between the Miami Dolphins and Washington Commanders at the Bernabéu. Between American football itself and the spectacle surrounding the event at Real Madrid Stadium, they will make for a tremendous spectacle, but beyond that, it will be a clash between two competitive teams with ambitions to improve.
Both teams have already spent several days in Madrid training and adapting. Don’t be afraid of the main player, the lawn.
Bernab is isolated for the NFL.
The pitch at the Bernabéu has been on the agenda since Real Madrid returned to the Paseo de la Castellana after a brief exile at Ciudad Deportiva, with construction accelerating. However, Los Blancos have always been clear that their technology and commitment to underground systems will pave the way for all kinds of events. And the NFL would be a big step forward in convincing both teams going into the game against Madrid.
Santiago Bernab is preparing for the NFL
According to MARCA, the Dolphins and their managers have no doubts about the grass at the Bernabéu. The adaptation is similar, as the two franchises play on natural grass at home (though these days the fields are also supported by artificial sections). It is also not possible to continue with the grass that Real Madrid have been using recently. What was already planned will quickly change.
For American football matches, the grass at the Bernabéu is an advantage. Players always prefer the conditions provided by natural grass, and in this case it suits Miami and Washington. Additionally, the risk of injury is reduced. In 2023, NFL players called for expanded use of natural turf through their unions after widespread severe setbacks, and Madrid’s turf fulfilled that request.
Switching to natural grass requires a significant investment, but the bigger cost is continuing to lose talented players to unnecessary injuries.
Specifically, the NFLPA requested that players be considered. “Switching to natural turf will require significant investment, but the greater cost will be the continued loss of talented players to unnecessary injuries,” the organization said in a statement. And the stars are clear about that. “We always like to play naturally,” said 2021 Super Bowl MVP and Los Angeles Rams star Matthew Stafford, for example.
We always prefer to play on natural grass
This claim is still valid as the changes have not yet been fully implemented. When league play begins in 2025, there will be a 50-50 split between natural and artificial turf pitches. The Bernabéu will join the players’ favorite team and will not intimidate them ahead of the clash between the Dolphins and the Commanders.
