The Santiago Bernabeu, home stadium of Spanish Liga football club Real Madrid, is set to be rebranded as the ‘Abu Dhabi Bernabeu’, according to Diario AS.
The Spanish newspaper said directors of energy firm Compania Espanola de Petroleos (CEPSA) disclosed the information during a media event held yesterday (Tuesday).
The move would relate to Real’s signing of a long-term strategic partnership with Abu Dhabi-owned energy group International Petroleum Investment Company in October to aid the redevelopment of the 80,000 capacity ground that has been home to the European champions since 1947.
The latest development comes after Real Madrid president Florentino Perez in November apparently revealed the Santiago Bernabeu would be renamed as either IPIC Bernabeu or CEPSA Bernabeu.
There was no reference to IPIC or its affiliated Spanish firm CEPSA taking on the naming rights when the initial deal was announced in October but speaking at a commercial event, Perez was captured by cameras from television show El Chiringuito de Neox discussing the possible branding. He had said: “We are going to put IPIC Bernabeu or whatever they want … or CEPSA Bernabeu.”
AS said the CEPSA executives outlined that the option of attaching their company name, or that of IPIC, has been rejected in favour of adopting the Abu Dhabi Bernabeu moniker.