Spain: Getafe already has a start date for work on their "little Bernabeu"

23.02.2025 13:35 source: Marca; author: Miguel Ciołczyk Garcia

Azulones face a major challenge: the reconstruction of the Coliseum. Plans call for demolishing parts of the stadium and temporarily relocating Getafe, but the club's president says it's worth it, as the stadium will be "like a little Bernabeu" once all work is completed. However, the fight to maintain the club in La Liga could threaten their plans.

"Beautiful, modern, like a small Bernabeu"

Bigger, modern... but somehow similar. Although the Coliseum - home of Getafe CF - will gain 3,000 seats in the stands and change its exterior, it will retain the characteristic shape of the stands. Despite the increase in capacity to 19,500 seats, they will still be two-tiered, as additional space will be found by building in the corners.

Instead, the exterior of Azulones’ temple will change diametrically. The moat into which the Coliseum is dug will be replaced by a white, translucent facade on which multimedia shows will be displayed. The entire grandstand, in turn, will be covered by a roof, under which lights and new video screens will be suspended. It will be beautiful, modern, a small Bernabeu, club president Ángel Torres described the vision for the new Coliseum on Tuesday, at the 25th anniversary gala of the Federation of Getafe Supporters Associations.

Avoiding relegation is more important than the stadium

The first plans to build a new stadium for Azulones came as early as 2006, when the stadium was only 8 years old. This idea was later abandoned in favor of a reconstruction, but it also failed to materialize. Only now, thanks to the CVC fund for La Liga clubs, the Coliseum Getafe project, presented in the summer of 2023, has a chance to come to fruition.

By Tuesday at the latest, we will sign a contract and begin planning and demolition in four phases. [...] On May 25 we'll finish La Liga with a match against Celta, and from then on we'll have it [the new Coliseum - ed. note] in 27 months, announced Torres, who estimates the investment at €47M.

However, the president already admits that there is something that could delay the work: the threat of relegation. The club will most likely have to leave the Coliseum for the duration of the work, but should it have to fight for retention in the 2025/26 or 2026/27 seasons, it will put the rebuilding on hold to play in their hometown with as many fans on the stands as possible. I prefer the current Coliseum in Primera to a modern stadium in the second tier, he stipulated.