Why is Barcelona's first house sport not at Nou Camp? – BBC

Marcus Rashford may play his first house sport of the season for Barcelona in a stadium far smaller than the one he was anticipating.
Regardless of hopes that Barcelona would start the defence of their title on the newly renovated Nou Camp stadium, they are going to as a substitute play their first house match on the a lot smaller 6,000-seater Johan Cruyff Stadium.
That’s as a result of the Nou Camp remains to be not prepared for followers, regardless of the membership saying they’d be again taking part in video games there in November 2024, to coincide with the membership's one hundred and twenty fifth anniversary.
The membership had been granted permission to play their first three fixtures away from house to permit the completion of building work. However even with a bit of additional time due to the worldwide break that adopted, the membership haven't but obtained paperwork that permit it to open.
The Olympic Stadium, used as their substitute house floor for the previous two seasons, is the venue for a Publish Malone live performance two days earlier than the match – ruling it out of use for Sunday.
Barcelona final performed on the Nou Camp in Could 2023 – a stadium which may maintain as much as 100,000 folks. Right here, we take a look at what renovations the membership is making, why it’s taking so lengthy and the way followers really feel about it.
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The unique opening date of the stadium was November 2024
The Nou Camp has served as Barcelona's house floor because it opened in 1957.
Renovation work started in June 2023, at a price of round 1.3bn euros, with the objective of modernising the stadium and increasing its capability to 105,000 – making it one of many largest grounds on the planet.
Barcelona have performed on the Nou Camp since 1957
However the Nou Camp isn’t able to host Sunday's La Liga house sport towards Valencia (20:00 BST) – with the change to a a lot smaller venue solely introduced on Tuesday.
The membership mentioned in an announcement that it’s working to get a allow to open the stadium "within the coming weeks".
That let, often called the Last Building Certificates, is granted by the town council.
Reviews in Spanish media counsel the stadium is prepared for use, pending the required clearance.
Within the meantime, utilizing the 6,000-capacity Johan Cruyff Stadium – versus a totally operational Nou Camp, and even the 50,000 capability Olympic Stadium – goes to price Barcelona plenty of matchday income.
"Logically it issues us greater than it worries us," mentioned a membership supply concerning the income loss.
"However we hope to greater than compensate for this inconvenience of decreased earnings within the coming weeks."
The Johan Cruyff Stadium, named after the previous Barcelona participant and supervisor, opened in 2019.
The Johan Cruyff Stadium, house venue for Barcelona's ladies's and youth groups, isn't formally sufficiently big to host a La Liga sport. League guidelines say a floor should maintain at the least 8,000 followers.
However an exception has been made on this case on "architectural" grounds.
Work has been achieved to get the stadium prepared, together with establishing digital camera positions for the video assistant referee.
With so few areas obtainable, the membership arrange a poll for tickets – and solely those that had held full season tickets for each 2023-24 and 2024-25 may enter it.
'That's 16,151 members," in response to the membership.
Miquel Taberner, like plenty of Barcelona followers, was unimpressed.
"Most followers really feel disillusioned, and naturally I'm one among them," he mentioned.
"Camp Nou is not only a stadium, it’s the coronary heart of the membership and our matchday expertise isn’t the identical with out it. We perceive the work being achieved is important, however the absence is strongly felt.
"Transparency and sensible timelines would assist ease that frustration, however sadly folks on the membership don't really feel the identical means."
Valencia – seeking to enhance on final season's Twelfth-place end – have contacted La Liga to query each the selection of venue and the lateness of the change.
"We had been involved in regards to the uncertainty of not having a chosen venue in the identical week because the match," the membership mentioned.
"We’ve been instructed from FC Barcelona that we may have 290 tickets for our followers so there’ll lastly be Valencia followers within the stands."
Valencia striker Diego Lopez, talking on Thursday, acknowledged the state of affairs was removed from excellent.
"It's a state of affairs that I believe ought to have been resolved a very long time in the past, not just for the group but in addition for the followers," he mentioned. "I believe they deserve a solution to allow them to go and cheer on the group."
A Barcelona supply instructed BBC Sport that the Nou Camp shall be able to welcome followers for his or her league match on 28 September towards Actual Sociedad.
Nevertheless, they may not verify whether or not Barcelona would play their subsequent house match, on 21 September towards Getafe, on the Nou Camp.
"We are going to attempt to pace it up if doable however we received't know till the center of subsequent week," the supply mentioned.
Followers like Miquel are much less optimistic.
"Formally, the objective is 2026, however actually I do foresee an extended view. Massive tasks typically face delays and that's OK. Our expectations are tempered," he mentioned.
"The hope is that every time it opens, it’s delivered to the very best normal and worthy of the membership's id."
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