EI Di Stéfano finishes decking for his big day, Sunday at 19:30. It will be then when the field of Valdebebas becomes part of a select club: the stadium that has hosted a First Division match. It will be a round number, field number 100.
The pioneers
In LaLiga's 91-year history, 99 have been the coliseums where at least one match has been played. The pioneers were Chamartín, Sarrià, Atocha, Ibaiondo, El Sardinero, Les Corts, San Mamés, Metropolitano, Gal and Montjuic; The latter was used as a neutral field by Espanyol and Europe in several days of the first edition of the championship. Of all of them, most of them disappeared, there are none left in Primera (although others have been built with the same name, such as the new San Mamés or the Wanda). Yes they last in the elite of Spanish soccer Mendizorroza and Mestalla, which would be released in 1929-30 and are still the houses of Alavés and Valencia.
Madrid played at 92.
Of the 99 fields, Real Madrid lacks seven in its history: El Ejido, Domecq, El Vivero, Mini Estadi, Ampurdán, Príncipe Felipe and Las Margaritas. They never received the visit of the whites because they were resorted to punctually for a sanction or for works.
Map of the stadiums in which a Primera match has been played.
AS graphics
Balance
In field premieres, Madrid took the victory in 46 of the 92 occasions, giving up 23 draws and as many defeats. Of course, complicated fields such as Barcelona were good for him, winning at Les Corts (1-2) and Camp Nou (0-3). Even in the old Metropolitan (0-2). On the other hand, he inaugurated the old Chamartín in the League with 5-0 to Europe and the Santiago Bernabéu with a 3-1 against Espanyol. In Alcoraz, the last field in which it premiered in LaLiga Santander, he beat Huesca 0-1.
Camilo Cano, the 101
Levante will also change houses due to works. Will play in the Camilo Cano de La Nucía, which will make it the First 101 stadium. Unless it remains there next season, the Alicante coliseum will increase to eight the list of stadiums that did not receive the visit of Madrid.
A First Stadium
The Di Stéfano, despite being the stadium of Castilla in its Second B matches or youth for the Youth League, has characteristics to be First. For example, Eibar, who will be the first to visit Valdebebas, plays in Ipurua, which does not differ much from Valdebebas. In the gunsmith coliseum there is a capacity for 7,083 spectators and dimensions of 103×65; while the Di Stéfano has a capacity of 6,000 expandable to 8,400 and with a size of 105×68.
Communities
Di Stéfano will be the eleventh field in Madrid. There are only three communities with more: Andalusia (19), Catalonia (14) and Valencia (14, including La Nucía). The Autonomous Cities of Ceuta and Melilla are the only ones without a stadium in Primera.