Estádio José Alvalade 2.0, as the Lions call their stadium from now on, will be ready for its debut in just a few days. Although the most important change was a nod to the fans, it was not without controversy and accusations of 'elitising' the stadium and favouring VIPs.

Estádio José Alvalade 2.0

The 22-year-old Estádio José Alvalade is completing its first upgrade in its history - it will be more spacious, more modern and more profitable from this season. The changes are evident in a number of areas, from the rebuilt players' tunnel, to the club museum, which has been enriched with a Golden Ball room - reminiscent of Luis Figo and Cristiano Ronaldo - to the pitch, where the traditional surface has been replaced by a mix of natural and synthetic fibres.

But the most visible change is the removal of the moat, disliked by fans, which separated the pitch from the stands. Its elimination allowed 2,000 new seats to be added and make it possible to reach a capacity of 52,000. The last seats are still being installed but are expected to be fully ready for 30 August when the Lions face the Dragons (FC Porto) at home.

© Magnus von Koeller | José Alvalade is the 2nd largest stadium in Portugal.

A brawl over the chairs

And although there are as many as 2,000 new chairs, just 28 of them were enough to ignite a storm. Not just any chairs, however, but VIP Pitch Row - a single row of luxury seats just above the players' tunnel and substitutes' benches. Ultras group Torcida Verde - who selflessly painted the old Jose Alvalade green and white in 1991 and co-founded a club museum at the venue three years later - sees them as evidence of the elitisation of the club.

We proposed creating sectors made up of standing places only, which could further increase the capacity of the stadium, - they say, arguing that other clubs in Europe have opted for such changes, and that the club, without consulting representatives of the fan community, decided instead to create exclusive spaces. Let the media slogan Alvalade 2.0 not become synonymous with Social Divisions 2.0! - they quoted.

© Fenwick Iribarren Architects | Sporting CP calls VIP Pitch Row an innovation that will provide an unforgettable experience.