BARCELONA will host their La Liga match against Valencia at the Johan Cruyff stadium this Sunday due to ongoing delays in reopening the partially rebuilt Camp Nou.
The Spanish champions had planned to welcome a reduced crowd at their main stadium but have not yet obtained the required administrative permits for its reopening.
“The club is working intensively to obtain the necessary administrative permits to open Spotify Camp Nou in the coming weeks,“ Barcelona confirmed in an official statement.
Barcelona expressed gratitude to their members and supporters for their patience during this complex period of transition back to their renovated home ground.
The alternative Johan Cruyff stadium serves as the regular home venue for Barcelona’s women’s team and has a capacity of approximately 6,000 spectators.
Camp Nou has been closed since the end of the 2022/23 season for extensive redevelopment work that was originally scheduled for partial completion in November 2024.
The club previously used the Olympic stadium on Montjuic hill for home matches throughout last season as construction timelines extended due to various delays and licensing issues.
Barcelona cannot return to the Olympic stadium this weekend because American rapper Post Malone has booked the venue for a concert on Friday.
The massive Camp Nou reconstruction project carries an estimated cost of 1.5 billion euros and is now expected to reach full completion in 2026. – AFP