Reopening is no longer the priority for Camp Nou construction work.

BarcelonaEvery morning, workers entering Limak's barracks at Camp Nou pass by an electronic scoreboard. In yellow letters, it states the completion of the first phase of the Camp Nou renovation. And in blue, the important thing: the number of days remaining. On April 22nd, it marked 100. This Thursday, it's 98. It will reach zero on July 31st, the date the Turkish company should theoretically be working on. hand over the keys of the stadium with the turf in place and the first and second stands completely finished. An accountant who exudes relative optimism. Finishing the job is one thing, and obtaining the permits to reopen the stadium is another. This latter decision is not in the hands of the construction company.

With City Hall authorization to work 24 hours a day, Monday morning to Friday at midnight, it's clear that the renovation is progressing at a faster pace than a few months ago. However, work is focused on the small details. This was described in the ARA by an architect who visited the construction site last week and was surprised. He explained that of the six cranes installed, only one was working. This is unusual in renovations of this magnitude, because it's normal for there to be a scramble to load and unload material. "The rush is on the inside," one of the workers pointed out. So, while the skeleton of the third tier is taking shape, the main objective is to have the interior finished. Above all, the seats. VIP which were sold for 100 million euros to two companies in the context of the controversial registrations of Dani Olmo and Pau Víctor.

Initially, the hired auditor ad hoc Barça validated the operation, but a new audit put water in the wine. Crowe's final performance, which is the one used by the League to calculate the fair play financial, says that if the seats VIP are not finished, they cannot be recorded in the income statement. It doesn't matter whether the money has been received: until it's done, it's as if it doesn't exist. Therefore, the 100 million, essential to have a salary margin—and to balance the accounts—are in standbyThe solution is simple: hurry up and build them. And that's exactly what they've commissioned Limak to do. A few days ago, Barça president Joan Laporta and the president of the Turkish construction company, Nihat Özdemir, were photographed in some of the seats already installed. The image, above all, was intended to visually justify the fact that the work was being done.

The deadline for setting up the 475 seats and the corresponding areas where users will have access to luxury catering ends on June 30th, the end of the 2024-25 financial year. Barça assumes there will be no problems in this regard, as do the companies that advanced the money. Board sources say they have already begun to exploit their business. In the case of Forta Advisors, they are personally responsible for selling the seats to individuals, while New Era Visionary Group, company owned by Ruslan Birladeanu, a businessman who has participated in other Laporta projects at the club, such as Barça Mobile, opts to resell his licenses.

Laying the turf, a "surprise" to inspire optimism ahead of the return to Camp Nou

Since the construction work began, the club installed a series of cameras so everyone could see how the work is progressing. However, this week, the cameras showing the interior of the stadium were removed. The initial goal was to preserve the effect of surprise and reopen them when the turf was fully installed. However, since some images have already been leaked through X, Barça has changed its mind and published its own images of the Garden Tona workers installing the panels on the pitch. "It will be a relative surprise, but it will be exciting to see it finished," the club tells the club. The initial goal was for the turf to be finished by April 23. There has been a slight delay, and it will finally be this week or early next week.

According to experts, it takes two months for the new turf to take root properly, and therefore matches could be played again by the end of July. But the reality is that if football does return to Camp Nou, it will be in September. The club has requested in La Liga to play the first matches away from home to have more room for maneuver, while keeping its fingers crossed for the reopening permits that must be granted by Barcelona City Council and the Fire Department. In close circles, Laporta has assured that everything is under control. But, as explained by ARA, there is reluctance within the council and doubts that the necessary safety requirements are met: having 60,000 people enter and exit with temporary access makes the officials who must approve it wrinkle their noses.

The alternative would be to play at Montjuïc for a few more months, but there are problems there too. BSM, the company that manages the Olympic Ring equipment, has scheduled concerts for August and September, and is negotiating another for November. In fact, a meeting between Barça and the company is scheduled for May 5 to manage the transfer of the equipment from Lluís Companys that must be removed for the summer concerts. On that day, it must be clear whether it will be dismantled temporarily—and meticulously stored for reinstallation—or whether it will be done permanently.

Between the financial rush to operate the Camp Nou and the occupation of Montjuïc, it's logical to imagine that the return, now yes, will be in September. Reopening permits will still need to be resolved, and will be requested later. Uncertainties remain, and the Barcelona offices cannot 100% guarantee that the deal will be successful. A broad political consensus will be necessary. Or, as one of the experts consulted puts it, "a lot of goodwill."