The countdown was an illusion. The promised schedule won't be met and Barça's leadership can no longer keep hiding the truth.
The construction of the new Camp Nou won't be finished by the date Joan Laporta announced with solemnity: September 14, on the matchday against Valencia.
It was all smoke and mirrors. There have been too many official dates to believe now that the latest one is true, given the state of the construction.
Months ago, the president of FC Barcelona assured that the deadlines would be kept. He also said that, if not, the Turkish construction company Limak would pay one million euros for each day of delay. It was a promise made for the gallery.
Today, with more than 10 months of accumulated delay, no one has seen a single euro and the board remains absolutely silent.
From November 2024 to... January 2026?
When the Espai Barça megaproject was given the green light, Laporta announced the return to Camp Nou on November 29, 2024 (29/11/2024), the 125th anniversary of the club.
Then there was talk of January, February, and March. After that, the date was moved to September 14, 2025 (14/09/2025), to play against Valencia. Now, that option is also fading away.
Technical reports warn that the minimum safety conditions required by UEFA won't be met. Even if the field, VIP areas, or part of the roof were finished, there wouldn't be enough time to obtain the licenses.
The European body's regulations prevent changing stadiums during the initial phase of the Champions League.
That means Barça couldn't return to Camp Nou until January 2026, at the earliest. However, there are voices on the board that prefer to accept that the entire season will be played at Montjuïc. The media pressure would be lower and more time would be gained to properly finish the construction.
€200 million hanging in the air
The financial issue is also delicate. If the one-million-euro-per-day delay clause promised by Laporta were applied, Barça should have received more than €200 million.
That amount would considerably ease the club's accounts. But there are no revenues, no penalty, and no explanations.
Some board members have already requested clarifications in board meetings. They don't understand how that promise was made without contractual guarantees.
Laporta admits there are compensations in return. He defends himself by saying, "the important thing is that the stadium will be spectacular." But critical voices keep growing around the club.
Laporta reacts late
Pressed by the facts, Laporta has decided to act. He has ordered a complete review of the construction plan and has contacted Limak's managers directly. He doesn't trust them.
He wants to avoid another public embarrassment and is already preparing a press conference to explain what's really happening.
Camp Nou won't reopen its doors in September. That, even if no one says it out loud anymore, is a devastating blow for Barcelona fans.