There is nothing better than home. Gustavo Cerati sang it. Soda Stereo voiced it. You can corroborate it River, with a confirmed date: the weekend of 2/21, for the second date of the Professional Football League and before Rosario Central Marcelo Gallardo’s team will finally be able to return to play at the Monumental after 347 days. Although not on the same terrain, since the return will be given to a renovated playing field, with hybrid grass, with drainage and heating technology that will allow the seasonal problems that the field suffered and that worried the deté so much.
Gallardo will finally be able to have the first level playing field he wanted so much. The total renovation implied an investment of 177 million pesos and around six months of hard work. Which started with the leveling of the ground, which was lowered by 1.80 meter, a fundamental step that will allow the leaders to advance in the future with the second phase of the remodeling of the Liberti: the expansion of the capacity from 70,074 to 80,000. For this, the determination was also made to dismantle the iconic athletic track that surrounded the field of play.
The Monumental too has a new aeration technology that will contribute to the development of grass roots, which translates into a more resistant lawn, reducing long-term maintenance costs: the ventilation system in roots with cold and heat (which avoids seasonal deterioration of the lawn) will also allow to manage the moisture content on the surface and remove excess water quickly, solving drainage problems. At the same time, The cement pipes were changed, giving way to PVC and old installations dating from the 78 World Cup were removed. They even found horseshoes from the old Núñez racecourse.
The Monumental from the air. Photos: Instagram Adrián Campanelli (adricampanelli).
Nevertheless, the new hybrid grass (95% natural grass, 5% artificial) is the most important detail of the new Monumental. The sowing, carried out by the Irish firm SIS Grass, began in December and during January and February the fibers were sewn to complete the installation of the combined grass loaves. Something that will favor the style of play of River, fluid connections.
Although The Liberti will also have a new WiFi6 technology on its stands as a result of an agreement with Huawei, which will guarantee connectivity to 100% of the spectators (the signal replicators are physically located in the stadium, grandstands, circulation of boxes, parking lot, River Museum, confectionery and micro-stadium). At the same time, fans will be able to enjoy the renovations in the Centenario alta – vision was increased thanks to the removal of the fences and the eaves – and the improvements in wheelchair access. New gastronomic stalls were also placed in the Centenario, Sívori and Belgrano low areas and the bathrooms were renovated, which have new porcelain floors, brand new taps and reconditioning of the lighting and infrastructure of the boxes. Comfort that fans will enjoy when the public returns to the stadiums. Meanwhile, Gallardo and his staff will enjoy the new lawn of a renovated home.
CANVAS AROUND THE LAWN
Only the rubble remains of the athletics track, which at some point will be auctioned off among the fans. In that space, with the playing field lowered, it is planned to build a new ring of stalls in the future. Meanwhile, there will be stretched canvases that will cover the 105×70 outline so that the image of the stadium will be seen much better on the televising of the matches.
Said canvases, gray in color, in addition to four River shields on which they will give the San Martín and the Belgrano, will bear the inscription of ten sponsors, the store and the Club Foundation in white letters. These registrations will not generate more income for the club: they will give the sponsors greater visibility in the new setting.
I DIGO – MARIANO TARATUTY (President of the River works and infrastructure area)
It is a pride for all River Plate residents to be in the final stretch of what is going to be one of the best and most technological playing fields in the world. It is a unique transformation in South America, which was developed taking advantage of the context of the pandemic and with the challenge of the club to carry it out in a timely manner.
The plan began more than a year ago with the replacement of the lighting strip lights to LED technology, going from 700 lumens to more than 2,000, achieving the standards requested by Conmebol. It continued with the new playing field, the comprehensive reform of 100% of the stadium’s bathrooms, the installation of state-of-the-art WiFi6 and the expansion and construction of new roofed gastronomic stalls in low and medium stands. This first stage in the future will also allow for the expansion of the lower stands, to bring the capacity of the Monumental to more than 80,000 spectators.
