Real Madrid's flight from West Palm Beach International Airport to LaGuardia, New York, originally scheduled for 4 pm on 8/7 Washington time, was delayed by 60 minutes due to a storm.
Further complications arose after takeoff. According to Spanish newspaper Marca, Real Madrid's plane was forced to circle over Washington for over two hours due to air traffic congestion caused by the storm. They were held in a holding pattern awaiting clearance to land.
Due to the ongoing delays, Real Madrid requested FIFA to cancel their pre-match media activities. Coach Xabi Alonso, along with players Federico Valverde, Thibaut Courtois, and Jacobo Ramon, were originally scheduled to attend a press conference.
The team finally landed in the evening and immediately traveled to their hotel. They are set to face PSG in the FIFA Club World Cup semi-final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, located 8 km west of New York City, at 2 am on 10/7 Hanoi time. The stadium has a seating capacity of over 80,000.
While there has been no official announcement regarding postponement or rescheduling, meteorological agencies are closely monitoring the weather and potential changes if conditions deteriorate.
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Vinicius and his teammates landed in New York after dark. Photo: Real Madrid FC |
Vinicius and his teammates landed in New York after dark. Photo: Real Madrid FC
The National Hurricane Center (NHC) issued a concerning weather advisory for Florida for the entire week, with a 60% chance of a tropical depression or storm forming, placing the entire state on alert.
As a result, Real Madrid decided to return to Miami after their round of 16 match against Juventus, despite knowing their subsequent matches would be played at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. The primary reasons for this decision were player safety, comfort at their Palm Beach hotel, and proximity to their training facilities.
Meanwhile, PSG arrived in New York earlier and held a training session at Rutgers University. Coach Luis Enrique and players Fabian Ruiz, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, and Warren Zaire-Emery participated in a pre-match press conference.
Real Madrid qualified for the Club World Cup as the Champions League winners of 2022 and 2024, while PSG secured their spot as one of the UEFA teams with the highest four-year accumulated points total. PSG's recent UEFA Champions League title will grant them entry into the next Club World Cup in 2029.
Compiled by Hong Duy
