- There were concerns Barcelona’s clash v Real Madrid may have to be moved
- Those fears have now been allayed, with the Rolling Stones gig called off
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Barcelona’s fears over hosting El Clasico in May have been eased after a Rolling Stones gig was cancelled.
There were concerns that the game, which is currently set to take place on May 11, may have to be held at another venue, such as Wembley.
Renovations at Barcelona’s Camp Nou ground have been taking place since June 2023, with the club currently playing home games at the city’s Olympic Stadium.
Barcelona had hoped to return to the Camp Nou in November last year with a reduced capacity of 60,000 fans, but that wasn’t feasible.
It is now anticipated that they could return in time for El Clasico, with construction company Limak hopeful that will be the case.
Barcelona have been exploring other possible options for the game against Real Madrid, including playing it at the Olympic Stadium.
Barcelona’s fears over hosting Real Madrid have been eased after a Rolling Stones gig was cancelled
Barcelona hope to have moved back to the Camp Nou by the time the game takes place in May
The Rolling Stones were set to play at the Olympic Stadium but the gig won’t go ahead
Those plans were complicated by concerts being held at the ground, including a gig by The Rolling Stones.
However, it has now been reported by Bjornulf Vik that The Rolling Stones tour in Europe, which was never officially confirmed, is set to be called off.
That would enable Barcelona to host Real Madrid at the Olympic Stadium if the Camp Nou isn’t ready in time.
Barcelona’s contract to use the Olympic Stadium expires the end of April but they could look to extend their deal if required.
As well as El Clasico, they may also need to find a venue for the home leg of their Champions League semi-final if they reach that stage.
Prior to the cancellation of The Rolling Stones concert, Wembley had emerged as a potential option to host the game against Real Madrid.
Last month it was reported that there were concerns that Barcelona’s £1.25billion Nou Camp project may not be completed by the end of the season.
As part of the reconstruction of the stadium, the entire top tier was removed in order to rebuild the third one and increase the capacity by 6,000 seats.
It is possible the clash between Barcelona and Real could be held at the Olympic Stadium if required
The Spotify Camp Nou is set to be the largest sports venue in Europe once it is complete with a capacity of 105,000.
Barcelona are currently in third place in LaLiga, seven points adrift of leaders Real.
Hansi Flick’s side host Alaves on Sunday in their next fixture.
