Barcelona are poised to make their highly anticipated return to the Nou Camp this Saturday for a Spanish league fixture against Athletic Bilbao.
The club announced on Monday that 45,401 spectators will be permitted, marking the first competitive match at the venue since renovation work began in 2023.
This partial reopening follows the club securing the necessary permits. Barcelona also hope to host their Champions League encounter against Eintracht Frankfurt on 9 December at the revamped stadium, which will ultimately accommodate 105,000 supporters.
The upgrade, initiated in June 2023, aims to expand Europe’s largest football ground, which previously held 99,000. The heavily indebted club secured €1.45 billion (then $1.6 billion) from investors for the extensive remodelling.
The club anticipates that playing at the Nou Camp again will significantly boost matchday sales and merchandising.
The return has faced multiple delays after an initial target of November 2024, coinciding with the club’s 125th anniversary, was repeatedly missed.
Since the 2023-24 season began, the team has played at the 55,000-seat Olympic Stadium. A further delay this summer even forced a Spanish league game to be held at its 6,000-seat training ground stadium in September.
Barcelona currently trail league leaders Real Madrid by three points after 12 matches.
Hansi Flick’s side won La Liga by four points last season, despite playing their home games away from the Nou Camp.
But they have dropped eight points this term, and lost El Clasico to Real Madrid last month, leaving them playing catch-up to their rivals.
Barcelona are also only 11th in the Champions League table at the halfway stage of the league phase after picking up seven points from their opening four matches.
Only the top eight teams progress automatically to the knockout stages, while sides finishing between ninth and 24th will go into a play-off round.
