Real Madrid are on course for a highly successful season in 2023/24.
Los Blancos went into March at the top of La Liga, with a seven-point lead over closest challengers Girona and an eight-point advantage over reigning champions Barcelona.
They are also into the quarterfinals of the UEFA Champions League, meaning the two biggest trophies on offer to Carlo Ancelotti and his players are still up for grabs as the season enters the business end. There is also the prospect of a free-transfer deal for Paris Saint-Germain star Kylian Mbappe, which would galvanise both the club and La Liga if it comes to fruition.
However, both the potential presentation of Mbappe to Madrid fans, and their final La Liga match of the season against Real Betis, could be affected by a very non-football reason: namely, pop sensation Taylor Swift, and her globetrotting Eras Tour, which touches down in the Spanish capital in May.
Confused? The Sporting News is on hand to (attempt to) explain.
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Taylor Swift & Real Madrid: La Liga match vs Real Betis moved
Taylor Swift's Eras Tour stops in Madrid have already caused a headache for La Liga scheduling.
The Athletic reported in February that Real Madrid had asked the league to change the date of their match against Real Betis — their final game of the 2023/24 league season — because of the scheduled concerts at their home stadium.
Taylor Swift is due to perform at the Santiago Bernabeu on May 29 and 30, with Madrid's match against Betis initially scheduled just three days earlier. The club asked La Liga to move their game to Saturday, May 25, thereby easing the logistical issues of getting the venue ready for a pop gig after a football match.
The Athletic then reported on February 28 that the request had been granted, although La Liga has yet to announce any details.
Could other La Liga matches be affected by Taylor Swift gig?
There is a possibility that the entire final matchday of La Liga 2023/24 could be impacted by the decision to move Madrid's game.
Spain, much like other major leagues around the world, stipulates that games must be played simultaneously on the final day of the campaign provided that the outcome of one of them has a demonstrable impact on another when it comes to final league positions.
As of March 8, Madrid held a seven-point lead at the top of the table with 11 games left to play. If they can sustain that advantage, they will officially be crowned champions with a win against Deportivo Alaves on May 15, two weeks before the final round.
However, Betis are sixth in the table and in the hunt for the European places, which is a race that is likely to go down to the wire. That means, even if the title race is over by the final matchday, it's likely that teams such as Real Sociedad, Las Palmas or Valencia could see their game moved so they play on the same day as Betis.
If the title is not yet won, then Girona (and possibly Barcelona and Atletico Madrid) would also have to play on the same day as Real Madrid and Betis.
It could end up making for a tricky time for organisers.
Could Taylor Swift affect Kylian Mbappe presentation?
There is another issue around the Taylor Swift Eras Tour: the possible presentation of Kylian Mbappe as a new Real Madrid player.
The France star is expected to sign for Los Blancos on a free transfer at the end of 2023/24 after telling Paris Saint-Germain he would not be signing a new contract, although nothing has yet been officially announced.
When Madrid make a significant signing of this kind, they traditionally hold a special ceremony at the Santiago Bernabeu. Cristiano Ronaldo was presented to a near-capacity crowd after his then-world-record transfer from Manchester United back in 2009, and Mbappe would likely generate a similar level of interest.
According to Marca, if Real Madrid reach the UEFA Champions League final — taking place on June 1 at Wembley Stadium — then they would not stage Mbappe's presentation until a few days afterwards. However, if they don't go all the way to that final, they would look to stage the Mbappe ceremony in the same week as the Eras Tour performances given that the stadium would already be set up to showcase a global superstar and adoring fans.
This would certainly throw up some logistical problems for stadium staff, not to mention the pressure it would apply to transport networks with fans attending the different events that week. Of course, Madrid must make sure they've actually signed Mbappe first before worrying about this.
