Real Madrid say they have prevailed in a legal dispute with a residents’ association that complained about “noise pollution” linked to concerts staged at the Santiago Bernabéu.
Judge’s findings and the basis for the case
A Spanish judge ruled in January that concerts held at the stadium—including performances by American pop megastar Taylor Swift—had breached prescribed noise limits. The court said there were enough “indications” to treat the reported disturbances as a potential criminal offence.
The action was brought against Real Madrid Estadio, the entity that operates the Bernabéu, along with Jose Angel Sanchez, described as the administrator and the club president Florentino Perez’s right-hand man.
Real Madrid’s response and who the court blamed
In a statement, the club said the court “clearly and categorically concludes that neither Jose Angel Sanchez… nor Real Madrid Estadio SL bear responsibility for any criminal offence in relation to the concerts held at the Santiago Bernabéu.”
Los Blancos added that the charges were dismissed and pointed to the “concert promoting companies” as the parties “responsible for complying with the decibel limits.”
What the courts said when approached
When contacted by AFP, the communications office of the Madrid courts said it could not make a public comment at that time, noting that “not all parties have yet been notified” of the ruling.
Potential impact on future events at the Bernabéu
Real Madrid’s legal win could open the door to staging concerts again at the Bernabéu in the future, particularly if sound-proofing measures are improved.
The club have invested heavily in the venue, spending more than 1.5 billion euros (1.76bn dollars) on stadium renovations. Their aim has been to generate additional income by hosting major concerts and other events.
Yet since September 2024, many of the shows planned for the Bernabéu have instead taken place at Atletico Madrid’s Metropolitano stadium, which is located outside the city.
