Barcelona’s Nou Camp homecoming has once again been put back after the club moved their latest match to a 6,000-seater stadium.
The Spanish giants had hoped to reopen their revamped home in time for the first match after the international break in Catalonia, but they failed to secure the required licence from the city council.
It was expected that the game would take place inside the iconic ground in front of a limited capacity after months of work to improve its infrastructure.
Instead, Barca will now host Los Che at the tiny Estadi Johan Cruyff, which holds just 6,000 fans. That has left fans wondering when they will be able to return home, with LaLiga keen to be kept updated.
There is another home game for Barca scheduled for next week on September 21, when Hansi Flick’s side will take on Getafe. That has now been pencilled in as the first game back at the Nou Camp.
According to Mundo Deportivo, though, there is low confidence over that actually happening, and plans are already in place for that match to take place at Estadi Johan Cruyff too.
Barcelona’s return to the Nou Camp has reportedly once again been put on hold
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The Spanish club are waiting to return to the ground after months of work on improvements
It is suggested that Barca Athletic vs Castellon B, which is supposed to take place at the stadium a day later, could be postponed to accommodate the senior Barca team.
The Club is working intensively to obtain the necessary administrative permits for the opening of the Spotify Camp Nou in the coming weeks. For this reason, the match will instead be played at the Estadi Johan Cruyff,’ Barcelona said in a statement on Tuesday.
‘FC Barcelona would like to thank its members and fans for their understanding and support during such a complex yet exciting process as the return to the new Spotify Camp Nou.’
It marks the latest setback in the £1.25billion redevelopment of the famous stadium, which has already suffered multiple delays.
Barca were originally scheduled to return last November, before revised deadlines of February and May this year also slipped. Their plan to stage the Joan Gamper Trophy at the Nou Camp in August was also abandoned due to the same issue.
The works, which began in 2023, are aimed at increasing capacity to 105,000 while adding new corporate facilities and a roof. Until construction is complete in 2026, the Nou Camp will operate at a reduced capacity of around 50,000 to 60,000. For now, even that is out of reach.
LaLiga have been informed of the situation, with Barcelona unable to obtain the ‘First Occupancy Licence’ required to welcome fans back into the ground. The city council has made clear it cannot grant permission until the club has presented a final works certificate, something still outstanding.
It leaves Barca scrambling to try and get the stadoium ready for their first home Champions League match of the season, which will be against defending champions Paris Saint-Germain on October 1.
