What was shaping up to be a symbolic and emotional return to Spotify Camp Nou against Valencia now faces serious doubts. The Joan Gamper Trophy, planned as the ideal stage to inaugurate the stadium, has already been ruled out. Now, even that return against Valencia in September is hanging in the air.
More than 200 deficiencies detected
A recent inspection by the European Club Association (ECA) has revealed what many feared. More than 200 technical and infrastructural deficiencies in the first phase of the stadium's construction. There are failures in access, evacuation, signage, electrical, and security systems.
These violations make it extremely difficult to obtain the necessary licenses to reopen Camp Nou as planned.
Lower capacity and inevitable delay
The City Council has approved only a first phase limited to 27,000 spectators (29,500) — main stand and south goal — instead of the 60,000 (65,600) initially announced. Even this partial opening is subject to pending inspections and urgent technical certificates.
The provisionally set date, September 14, no longer has the necessary consensus or safety. The field is ready, and so are the stands. The problem is with the access points.
The match against Valencia will have to be played at Johan Cruyff Stadium. It will be on September 21, against Getafe, when Barça can return to Camp Nou. It will be with a capacity that will hardly reach 27,000 seats (29,500).
A Gamper Trophy with a borrowed feel
Meanwhile, the Joan Gamper Trophy was played at Estadi Johan Cruyff before 6,000 (6,000) people. The club avoided repeating the Montjuïc venue, but playing in a smaller stadium without a large crowd diminished the excitement of the return.
The fans demand the usual stadium, but technical shortcomings and lack of permits prevent it.
Laporta insists... but with caution
Joan Laporta has stated that the club "is doing everything possible" to speed up the work and move forward with the stadium's reopening. He trusts they will return home soon, although this time without wanting to make impossible promises.
Institutional and media pressure is growing, but so is the need to meet strict technical deadlines.
The construction company has informed the club that the field could be finished by the end of the season, although still without the overhang. However, the price is very high. For that, the team would have to face the season without setting foot in Camp Nou.
The demand is impossible and Barça hopes to solve the issues little by little so that the capacity can gradually increase until the end of the league championship. The planned capacity of 60,000 (65,600) people will not be reached until well into 2026.