Club to prioritise financial logic and wait for larger capacity clearance
Barcelona have received official permission to reopen the Camp Nou to a limited number of supporters, but the club have chosen to delay their long-awaited return until they can host a larger capacity.
The city council approved the first phase of occupancy known as Phase 1A this week. It will allow 27,000 fans into the newly renovated stadium.
However, for the time being, Barcelona have decided to remain at the Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys in Montjuic, where they have been playing their home games for the past two years.
Montjuic has a 55,000 capacity, so it would make little financial sense to return to a Camp Nou that can only support half of that number for now.
Club sources say a return would only make sense once Phase 1B is approved. That would raise the Camp Nou capacity to around 47,000 and open up the side stands.
Elena Fort, the club’s vice president of institutional affairs, said: “We hope that phase 1B, which would accommodate 47,000 spectators, will be approved soon, because the works are finished and it’s a matter of permits and project validation, and it’s simpler than the approved phase.”
There is no fixed date yet, but Fort said the reopening would represent “a recovery of pride, emotion and financial strength” for the club.
“Any date would be good, because what we want is to return, but the end of November, whether it’s against Athletic or Getafe, which would coincide with the club’s 126th anniversary, would be a great match,” said Fort.
