Real Madrid and Bellingham face next test in award-winning stadium carved into mountain

talksport.com, 24 October 2023, 10:47

Jude Bellingham and Real Madrid could face a rocky reception when they face Braga tonight.

The Spanish giants are heading to SC Braga's Municipal Stadium, a 30,000 capacity stadium with a twist.

The Portuguese side's stadium was spectacularly built into the side of a granite mountain.

After journeying up a series of spiralling roads, fans will get to the highest point of the Dume area.

Situated next to a quarry, the Braga stadium is known as 'A Pedreira' (The Quarry), was designed by architect Eduardo Souto de Moura, whose creation was awarded the Pritzker Award in 2011, regarded as the Nobel Prize of architecture.

However Souto de Moura was not the first choice for the project, with Santiago Calatrava, the architect who designed New York's World Trade Centre Oculus, first on the list.

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Speaking to The Athletic about the project, Souto de Moura said: "Being an architect is not an easy life, and to get international recognition for a small country like Portugal… I'm not going to pretend I suffer from false modesty.

"The Braga stadium might be the most difficult project I ever did. And perhaps for that very reason, the one I enjoyed the most."

With one stand's foundations built into a rock, a giant scoreboard sat atop a granite embankment behind one goal and a glorious panoramic view of the city behind the other, it truly is one of world football's most unique stadiums.

Real Madrid have won both of their matches in Champions League Group C so far, with Bellingham notching two goals and an assist.

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But despite his spectacular early career, the 20-year-old has never played anywhere quite like Braga.

Read full version: https://talksport.com/football/1613309/real-madrid-braga-the-quarry-stadium-jude-bellingham/

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Braga
Braga stadium
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Eduardo
Jude Bellingham
Madrid
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Moura
Municipal
Municipal Stadium
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