NEW images show the ruins of Real Betis’ Benito Villamarin stadium as work towards a total redevelopment contines.
The Seville-based side are currently playing at Estadio La Cartuja seven miles away having begun the ambitious rebuild over the summer.
Real Betis play at the Benito Villamarin Stadium.[/caption]
It is being knocked down to redevelop and rebuild.[/caption]
This is what it currently looks like.[/caption]
Construction work is expected to last at least two full seasons.[/caption]
Betis hope the stadium will look something like this when completed.[/caption]
Unlike most stadium changes, Betis are not increasing their 60, 000 capacity, instead choosing to redesign with a modern flourish that will add VIP seating to generate extra revenue.
The historic old structure is now almost unrecognisable with just the one stand left after construction teams knocked down the bulk of the arena.
Pictures taken at the Villamarin site show just how much has changed with diggers and blocks of brick left behind.
There is still one large set of green seats left over with just the main support in place.
Betis, like Barcelona, are not able to play matches at their usual home ground due to the stadium redevelopment and are instead at the 70,000 capacity multi-purpose La Cartuja.
That ground has hosted Spain internationals having been built for the 1999 Athletics World Championships.
It was chosen for the 2024 Women’s Nations League finals, which Spain won, and was expanded earlier this year.
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Madonna and U2 have both performed at the stadium, as have Red Hot Chilli Peppers, AC/DC, Depeche Mode, and Bruce Springsteen.
Nottingham Forest were the most recent visitors for their 2-2 Europa League group phase draw on Wednesday night.
Betis, who are managed by Manuel Pellegrini and got to the final of last season’s Conference League, are hopeful of playing back at the Villamarin for the start of the 2027/28 season.
The redeveloped ground will have a new roof with club president Angel Haro saying the changes will ensure “qualitative and quantitative leap in income.”
