The Cincinnati Bengals will face the Atlanta Falcons at the Santiago Bernabéu on Sunday, 8 November, and the stadium’s most famous tenant has quickly become a talking point inside the visiting locker room.
Kylian Mbappé’s day job is scoring goals for Real Madrid at the same stadium. On Sunday, the pitch will be covered and painted for the NFL’s second regular-season game ever staged in Madrid, kicking off at 9:30 a.m. ET on NFL Network.
Higgins: ‘How do you run that fast?’
Wide receiver Tee Higgins and defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence II both said this week they would love to see the Frenchman at the Bernabéu.
“It’d be dope to have him there because I watch him on TV all the time,” Higgins said, according to Heavy, citing Fox 19’s Jeremy Rauch. “It’s so crazy, bro. We were just talking about how fast this dude is. How do you run that fast while dribbling the ball at your feet?”
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Lawrence framed it as a chance to make a first impression on new fans, telling reporters it could be many Spanish viewers’ first time watching the team play.
Bengals start practice in Madrid
The Bengals held their first practice in Spain on Thursday morning, according to Fox 19, after travelling earlier than on previous international trips.
Head coach Zac Taylor said the venue itself added to the week.
“The tradition of soccer here is unbelievable, so I think to be able to be in a stadium where there’s so much history is cool for our guys,” Taylor told Fox 19.
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Mbappé’s attendance not confirmed
Whether Mbappé actually turns up is still open. Fox 19’s Jeremy Rauch reported on 5 November that the 27-year-old is hoping to attend but has not committed publicly. Real Madrid play a LaLiga away game at Valencia on 7 November, the day before kickoff at the Bernabéu.
The fixture is the NFL’s second regular-season game staged in Madrid and part of the league’s Week 9 international slate. Kickoff at the Bernabéu is 9:30 a.m. ET on Sunday, 8 November, on NFL Network.
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