Permission Denied for Stadium Return
Barcelona's plan to return to their Camp Nou stadium has suffered a major setback. The local city council denied the club the necessary permission on Tuesday. The La Liga champions had hoped to host Real Sociedad this Sunday at a partially reopened Camp Nou with a reduced capacity of 27,000 spectators.
Alternative Venue for Matches
Instead of playing at Camp Nou, the match will now be held at the Olympic Stadium, which has a capacity of 55,000. Barcelona has been playing their home games at this stadium for the last two seasons. The club has also played two other home games this season, against Valencia and Getafe, at the Johan Cruyff Stadium. This smaller stadium has a capacity of 6,000 and is normally the home ground for Barcelona's women's team.
Safety Concerns and Construction Delays
The main reason for denying permission is ongoing safety concerns related to the stadium's renovation. The city's fire department reported problems, including issues with emergency exit routes. However, Barcelona's operating director, Joan Sentelles, disagreed with the assessment. During a visit to the stadium, he told journalists that the stadium is not unsafe just because the construction is not finished. He also announced a further delay, revealing that the new stadium roof will now be installed in the summer of 2027, which is a year later than the last planned date.
Background on the Renovation Project
The renovation work at Camp Nou began in 2023. The project is very expensive, costing around 1.1 billion pounds. Its main goals are to modernize the stadium and increase its total capacity to 105,000, which would make it one of the largest stadiums in the world. The club had initially planned to host games there in November 2024 to celebrate its 125th anniversary, but that target was missed a long time ago.
City Council's Stance on Safety
Barcelona's deputy mayor, Laia Bonet, explained the city council's decision. She stated that the council must guarantee the safety of everyone going to the stadium and that this is their top priority.
