What NFL chiefs have changed for Sunday’s game in Spain after ‘learning’ from last year’s mistake

The NFL’s international series picks up again this weekend as the Atlanta Falcons host the Cincinnati Bengals over in Spain, Madrid.

Playing on foreign soil has divided NFL fans in the United States, with the Atlanta Falcons losing one of their home games as a result. A total of nine international games are being played this year, with two more following Sunday’s game in the Spanish capital.

Last year saw the first-ever international game played in Spain at the home of Real Madrid, the Santiago Bernabeu. This time around, the NFL have admitted they have made some improvements ahead of Sunday’s game after learning from some of their errors made last year.

NFL chiefs increase locker room sizes for Madrid game

Over recent hours, some NFL fans have shared their concerns over the small locker rooms being used at the soccer stadium. Despite this, it has been claimed by the NFL that they have actually taken measures to increase the size of the locker rooms in Madrid.

“A stadium that’s hosted everything from concerts to World Cup finals: for NFL games, maybe the most change happens in the locker rooms,” said reporter Victor Prieto.

What NFL chiefs have changed for

“Obviously, switching a locker room from soccer to football isn’t the easiest thing. There are a lot more players on a football team, but they say they learned a lot from last year’s game in Madrid, and they expanded the locker room this year, getting everything ready for the Falcons.”

The reality is the Bernabeu was not built with hosting NFL games in mind. Unlike the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, the home of Real Madrid does not have NFL locker rooms built to accommodate the yearly game hosted in the stadium.

One thing that has impressed those travelling over to Madrid for the game, though, is Madrid’s incredible turf system that produces fresh turf from four storeys below the surface.

“Right here, fieldside at the Bernabeu, you see they’re getting the finishing touches out on the field. In this iconic stadium, perhaps what’s most unique about it is actually underground: Real Madrid uses real grass for its stadium, but stores it in a facility four storeys under the stadium called the hypogeum. The NFL brought a crew of 14 to work alongside Real Madrid’s field staff to get the pitch in football shape,” Prieto added.

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