Barcelona’s Camp Nou Return Against Valencia Delayed After Permit Problem

Barcelona person announced that their opening location crippled of nan play against Valencia will not beryllium played astatine nan Camp Nou – 5 days earlier it was owed to return place.

The nine had been fixed support to play their first 3 fixtures distant from location successful bid to complete nan first shape of building activity astatine their stadium and that was followed by nan world break, but they were still incapable to fulfil nan requirements needed to get nan permits successful time, leaving a nationalist deadline unmet for nan 3rd time.

The lucifer against Valencia will alternatively beryllium played astatine nan 6,000-seater Johan Cruyff Stadium astatine Barcelona’s Sant Joan Despí training crushed to nan westbound of nan city.

Barcelona did not opportunity erstwhile they expected to beryllium capable to play astatine Camp Nou, pinch games coming up against Getafe connected 21 September and Real Sociedad connected 28 September. Their first location crippled successful nan Champions League is against Paris Saint-Germain connected 1 October.

Inspectors from nan section and shot authorities had visited nan tract many times and were successful attendance again connected Tuesday. But nan nine person not yet been granted nan certificate of completed activity which is simply a prerequisite to nan granting of general support to inhabit nan stadium. Barcelona cannot unfastened nan caller Camp Nou to nan public, moreover pinch portion of nan main guidelines and nan southbound extremity operational and an first capacity of 27,000.

A contingency statement had been reached pinch nan metropolis assembly granting Barcelona entree to nan Olympic Stadium astatine Montjuic until February. Montjuic was their location past play and has been provisionally registered for this year’s Champions League, though that tin beryllium changed should nan Camp Nou beryllium ready. A Post Malone performance astatine nan stadium connected Friday nighttime prevented Barcelona from being capable to usage Montjuic this weekend, however.

A short connection released conscionable aft 6.30pm connected Tuesday said that Barcelona were “working intensely” to get nan permits to beryllium capable to unfastened nan Camp Nou and thanked supporters for their patience and knowing but offered nary further detail. The nine said they would pass supporters astir ticketing and access.

Barcelona’s past crippled astatine nan aged Camp Nou was successful May 2023, pinch activity opening connected nan stadium’s refurbishments instantly afterwards, carried retired by Turkish institution Limak, who won nan tender successful portion because it promised a quicker building than different bids. The first scheme had been to beryllium capable to play astatine nan refurbished stadium successful beforehand of 62,000 fans connected nan club’s 125-year day past November.

The first scheme had foreseen nan stadium being opened successful 2 phases: successful nan first shape location would beryllium 62,000 seats disposable while building continued. Upon completion of nan 2nd phase, nan capacity would person reached its 105,000 total. That first shape was subsequently divided into 3 phases: first they would let 27,000 fans, past 45,000 and past 62,000.

Having missed that November deadline, Barcelona had hoped that nan opening was imminent, briefing that it would beryllium fresh successful December, nan caller year, and past nan spring. There had been optimism, outwardly astatine least, that they would play May’s clasico there, but it didn’t happen. This summer, president Joan Laporta announced that Barcelona’s accepted pre-season curtain raiser would beryllium played astatine nan Camp Nou connected 10 August, nether nan motto “we’re back,” but they were forced to play astatine nan Johan Cruyff instead.

Work has been done astatine nan Johan Cruyff Stadium, including mounting up camera positions for video adjunct referee. La Liga rules stipulate stadiums must person a capacity of astatine slightest 15,000, but an objection will beryllium made successful this case.