LEGO’s latest football stadium might be relevant for a little while longer

The renovation of Real Madrid’s Santiago Bernabéu Stadium is facing serious delays, which could inadvertently keep the LEGO set relevant for longer than expected.

LEGO Creator Expert 10299 Real Madrid – Santiago Bernabéu Stadium only arrived on shelves a few days ago, but was already in danger of becoming outdated even at the point of its reveal. That’s because the LEGO Group has elected to base its design on the stadium as it currently stands, rather than as it will appear following its €525m renovation project.

The work being done to the stadium at the moment will revamp its appearance through the addition of a roof that’s able to completely close, along with new features like a retractable pitch. And when all’s said and done, it will effectively leave 10299 Real Madrid – Santiago Bernabéu Stadium as a relic of a stadium that no longer much resembles its LEGO set.

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That day may not come quite as quickly as expected, however, as Spanish media El Confidencial reports that the project is facing further delays as a consequence of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The war has affected supply chains across the board, including for the type of anti-oxidising steel being used to construct the stadium’s new façade.

Russia is the leading supplier of the steel, but sanctions are preventing its cargo ships from docking at European ports, blocking supply to Acerinox Europa, the manufacturing plant responsible for construction of the Bernabéu’s new exterior and roof. The end result is that the stadium’s renovations may now be delayed beyond even the most conservative estimates, which suggest a completion date of early 2023.

That means 10299 Real Madrid – Santiago Bernabéu Stadium will likely end up being an accurate snapshot of its source material for a larger percentage of its shelf life, though given it’s not currently scheduled to retire until the end of 2025, it won’t be for the majority of it. At some point, Real Madrid will finally unveil its new stadium, eclipsing the by-then-dated design of the LEGO set.

Of course, this is LEGO, so you could always just build the new roof yourself. It would probably be quicker than waiting for the real thing…

10299 Real Madrid – Santiago Bernabéu Stadium is available to buy now. Check out our detailed review of the third LEGO football stadium in this new 18+ series by clicking here.

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