From Villarreal to Ras al-Khaimah. From yet another image damage caused bylast nervous breakdown by Josè Mourinho, to an attempt to restore its image, through a marketing operation that so far only Ferrari had done, with the Ferrari World inaugurated in 2011 in Abu Dhabi.
The construction of the Resort Island in the Gulf of the United Arab Emirates will cost Real Madrid the astronomical sum of 1 billion euros: an artificial island of 50 hectares, already nicknamed RealMadridLand, whose opening is scheduled for 2015 and in the plans of the president Florentino Perez will bring further prestige to the brand of the club of the Spanish royal family, the most titled in Europe with nine European Cups on the bulletin board, precisely in the year in which it celebrates its 110th years of life and is chasing a historic tenth European Cup victory (the last one came exactly ten years ago, on the occasion of the centenary).
Just like Ferrari did two years ago, between roller coasters and GP simulations, the Spanish team has also chosen the opulent and suggestive stage of the Arab countries, and will focus on equally spectacular and multi-purpose activities: in fact, the Real Madrid Resort Island will not be a simple citadel to display the Casa blanca brand, but a real tourist complex with theme park, port, beach, luxury hotels and villas, museum, sports facilities and even a 10-seat stadium for any performances by Cristiano Ronaldo and his companions.
“As soon as we open the doors of the resort – he declared triumphantly the president of the merengues Florentino Perez -, the visitor will become part of the legend of this club, the greatest in the history of football”. Estimates speak of about 1 million patrons expected each year, who will be able to easily reach the location from Dubai airport, which is less than an hour from the town of Ras al-Khaimah.
The project is therefore ambitious, as evidenced by the huge investment, worthy of the football club that for the sixth consecutive year was the richest on the planet with a budget of 480 million euros, even higher than the 460 million of rivals Barcelona. Real Madrid, therefore, could only do things on a grand scale, awarded by Fifa as team of the century and not new at crazy expense, also to secure the great champions who have made its history, starting from di Stefano to get to Zidane (present on Thursday at the presentation and paid the sum of 2001 million euros to Juventus in 77) e Cristiano Ronaldo, landed in the Iberian capital three years ago for almost 100 million euros.
Waiting for Mourinho to calm down and bring some cups worthy of the name back to Madrid, Real has already moved forward: lots of trophies to show, after all, it doesn't have a few.
