What on earth is going on with Barcelona’s attempt to return to the Camp Nou?

Patience, even that of the Barça club member has a limit. The new setback in the club’s planned return to Spotify Camp Nou is already beginning to take its toll on a board that has emptied itself of credibility by promising return dates, none of which have been materialised.

The initial return was promised for November of last year, coinciding with the club’s 125th anniversary, then for early 2025, and later for the Clásico against Madrid in the spring. None of the three dates were actually made. This season, Barça vice president Elena Fort announced that the club would finally return to the refurbished stadium with “60,000 spectators”, and an advertising campaign was set up with the president.

Expectations were lowered to a crowd of 25,000 fans, and in the end, nothing. The club then claimed they would be back at Camp Nou for their 2025-26 LaLiga home debut against Valencia and this week, we discovered that that too, has fallen through.

As of today, no one knows where the next home match against Getafe, scheduled for the 21st, will be played. Vice President Elena Fort has taken precautions this time. The same person who assured that “the new Camp Nou will be ready in November 2024, barring a catastrophe” spoke on RAC1 and Catalunya Ràdio to admit that for the upcoming matches, “we hope to have the authorization, but I can’t guarantee it. We haven’t been able to submit the documentation on time, despite the fact that we have been working closely with the City Council.”

Given this situation, various voices within the FC Barcelona fraternity have come out in force to criticize the current board for its management. Víctor Font, former presidential candidate, stated that “the management seems inexplicable to me. Governing a club is always very difficult: we all make mistakes, things can be done better or worse, but what is unacceptable is deception.”

Former director Xavi Vilajoana, who is also the president of the Association of Promoters of Catalonia, stated that “it doesn’t surprise me. It was impossible for it to be played at the Camp Nou because there are certain deadlines that cannot be set. It hurts me that they are playing with the members’ hopes. The members are understanding, but there is no transparency. Nobody asked them for a date. They were the ones who gave it without anyone asking them.”

Joan Camprubí Montal, leader of the ‘Som un Clam’ platform and who has already announced his intention to run in the elections, was blunt: “The awarding of works has been a failure and the management is erratic. And we have to see if the 300 million that the construction company promised to pay for the delays will be claimed. Laporta should appear to answer many questions.”

Meanwhile, the club is working to adapt the 6,000 capacity Johan Cruyff stadium to meet with LaLiga regulations. Tickets have been sold with priority going to season ticket holders who attended every Barça game at Montjuïc over the past two seasons. However, the Catalan have also issued a quantity of VIP tickets “close to the pitch” for 1,500 euros ($1759).