The home of the Yellows was inaugurated on 17th June 1923, then known as the ‘Campo del Villarreal’
A silent witness, but essential to the history of Villarreal CF. Today, 17th June 2016, El Madrigal is 93 years old. The stadium was inaugurated on 17th June 1923 under the name ‘Campo del Villarreal’, although just two years later it started to be called El Madrigal, the name it is still known by to this day. The name is a reference to the rural field that the stadium is built on, which also went by this title. The stadium was inaugurated with a match between CD Castellón and SD Cervantes FC, two teams from the capital of the province. Currently, El Madrigal is undergoing renovation.
Remodelings
El Madrigal underwent its first extension in the summer of 1952, taking advantage of the off season. That remodeling also saw the change of the pitch dimensions to match the measurements of the Olympic Stadium of Helsinki, which hosted the Olympic Games that year and became the standard for all football clubs. Thus the pitch went from measuring 95 x 50m to 104 x 65m.
In the 60s, Villarreal built a small covered stand and in the 71/72 season the original South Stand (Fondo Sur) was set up. The Main Stand was demolished on 19th July 1988 so that a bigger one could be built, which eventually opened on 8th March 1989 with a friendly match against Atlético de Madrid.
On the 75th anniversary of the club, they took advantage of the celebration to carry out the most important remodeling of the stadium, the results of which gave us El Madrigal that we know and love today. The South Stand (Fondo Sur) was demolished on 22nd May 1998 and construction of the new covered Main Stand (Tribuna) began, as well as the amphitheater, the Preferential Stand (Preferencia) and the North Stand (Fondo Norte). The project was completed for the 99/00 season.
First electrical installation
In 1973, El Madrigal had its first electrical installation so games could be played late in the afternoon and evening. The city council put four pylons in each corner of the pitch, with nine halogen spotlights in each one. The stadium enjoyed its first game under the lights on 16th September 1973 with a Third Division match in which the Yellows faced Sociedad Deportiva Ibiza and lost 0-1.
Location of the Changing Rooms
Believe it or not, the changing rooms have had four different locations since the Yellow ground was inaugurated. Until the 35/36 season, so for twelve years, the changing rooms occupied the southeast area of the stadium. From that date until the late 60s, they moved to the northeast part of the field. Then, with the inauguration of the new Main Stand (Tribuna) in 1989, they were located in the southwest corner until the final remodeling, where they were relocated to their current location just below the centre of the Main Stand (Tribuna).
The finishing touches
After undergoing several renovations, the last touches to El Madrigal were implemented in the summer of 2008 with the construction of the Visitors Stand (Grada Visitante), right above the North Stand (Fondo Norte) which allows away fans to enjoy the game in peace. With a capacity of almost 3,000 spectators, this was an exemplary remodeling.
Executive boxes
Taking advantage of the construction of the Visitors Stand (Grada Visitiante), Villarreal added 27 new ‘Blue Corporate Boxes’ to El Madrigal. These boxes are located in the upper part of the North Stand (Fondo Norte) and are divided into three different types – those that host 17, 22 or 23 people. Just like the stadium’s ‘Yellow Corporate Boxes’, these boxes are also equipped with air conditioning, a television broadcasting the game with replays, catering, individual seats and independent access.
There are also 30 ‘Yellow Corporate Boxes’ spread along the upper area of the Main Stand, which can be accessed at the corner of the South Stand (Fondo Sur) via three high speed elevators and there is a parking space per box. Out of the 30 boxes, 2 have capacity for 12 people each, 23 can accommodate 16 people and the other 5 are available for groups of 20 people.
The new benches
In order to improve visibility, Villarreal CF remodeled the entire bench area in the summer of 2013, changing it to a similar style used in some of the Premier League stadiums. Thus, the area has increased in size and height, occupying a small part of the Main Stand (Tribuna). Spacious and comfortable, the expansion also led to the extension of the roof of the Main Stand to provide better protection for both fans and players.
Cutting Edge Technology for the Villarreal CF Pitches
Villarreal became the first club in Spain to install a mixed artificial and natural grass pitch. The Submarine committed fully to this cutting edge technology, choosing to use this surface for the three most important pitches: El Madrigal stadium, the First Team Training Ground pitch and the Mini Stadium, that holds 5,000 spectators, at the Villarreal CF Training Ground (Miralcamp). The surface, Desso GrassMaster, is a hybrid grass system in which synthetic fibers are injected into the soil allowing the roots of the natural grass to curl around and root the artificial fibers, providing a more stable and lasting field of play.
