The "crown jewel" of Camp Nou will be a headache

BarcelonaSuddenly, a member stands up, takes the microphone and asks bluntly: "I just want to know what day we will return to Camp Nou!" The brevity and forcefulness of the intervention made Elena Fort and Joan Sentelles smile, while many of the attendees who attended the information session on the Espai Barça applauded with shouts of "bravo" and "that's it, that's it." But neither the vice president nor the head of operations of Barça gave a clear answer. After months and months of talking about the date of the return, the club decided to change its strategy. Behind closed doors, there is still talk of the classic against Real Madrid. But outside, no one prefers to get involved, even though the works are progressing at a good pace, there are more than 3,000 workers working, 1,500 tons of iron are installed every week and some think that the reopening will be possible in May.

With the main question to be resolved, the session served to highlight the discontent of a good part of the third tier season ticket holders. The remodeling project includes the construction of the already famous ring VIP, so the first row of seats will be further away from the pitch than it was at present. About ten metres, the club estimates. They may not seem like much, but added to the height of the stands in relation to the grass, it seems like a mountain to many. "I suppose that with the season ticket they will give you some binoculars," said one of the affected members ironically. Some have joined together in a platform of affected people who will try to pressure to obtain, despite the grievance, the best possible seats in the new stadium. They know that it will be difficult, but that will not stop them from insisting.

It was not a new issue. There had already been controversy over the decision to knock down the third tier and make it brand new. Fort and Sentelles insisted on the structural problems that Núñez's work from 1982 was dragging along and for the multiple possibilities offered by the one being built. "It will be the jewel in the crown," they assured, in reference to the multiple services it will offer, both for the convenience of access and for the 360-degree balcony that will be included in the tours and which will allow us to enjoy privileged views of the city of Barcelona. "All these promises make us tremble. We come to watch football. And we will see worse football," protested another member.

To deal with this and other individual cases, Barça has decided to set up an office specialising in returning to the Camp Nou. It will have a dozen workers. Season ticket holders will be able to request family reunification or a change of zone. It is likely that some of those affected in the third tier will be offered to go to other areas of the stadium. On the other hand, the 3,500 new season ticket holders on the waiting list – the approximately 3,000 places already reserved plus the 621 who did not renew their registration – will mostly spend time at the top of the pitch, which will have 104,600 seats once fully completed.

Now, the return, whether in May or September, will be without enjoying the third tier. There will only be the structure, which will finish being built this July. big lift, the anglicism to describe the installation of the roof, will take place in the summer of 2026. It will have its share of controversy, since four and a half months are needed to complete the operation and Barça will ask to play the last games of the next season away from the Camp Nou, to have more time. Once the roof is assembled and raised, bicycle wheel, during the 26/27 season it will be covered to shelter spectators.

Barça insists on returning to the stadium imminently

Among the unforeseen events and changes in construction deadlines, the delay also affects the double link of markets VIP The spaces between the second and third tier have already been sold and paid for, but they will not be available for use until at least January 2026. This week, the club, through the company Legends, which is marketing them, informed buyers of this delay. As compensation, they will be offered "an alternative" that has not yet been disclosed.

At the start of the 2025/26 season, the Camp Nou will have 90% capacity in the first and second tier – some 60,000 seats – and only 200 underground parking spaces for club matches. The offer VIP The lower part of the stadium will be fully operational. But neither the Museum nor the Shop will be operational yet. The third tier will be available, if all goes well, in January 2026, with 90% capacity. Even so, and despite the recommendations of the construction companies, which propose extending their stay in Montjuïc and waiting until 2026 to return, Barça insists on returning imminently. "Combining construction and football is complex, but returning is more beneficial for everyone. There is a business plan to comply with and any delay is impossible to recover," argued Sentelles. It will not be possible to make as much money, but it will generate more revenue than what is being made now in Montjuïc. Income essential to pay the interest on the Goldman Sachs loan and to meet the budget for the next season.

The club assures that the multiple unforeseen events that will delay the reopening of the Camp Nou for at least half a year do not represent an extra cost, since there is "a maximum price guaranteed" by Limak. But it also confirms that no penalty clause can be applied because the project has been tweaked on the fly. Finally, there will be the Palau Blaugrana, whose project must be made public in March. The works do not have a start date, although the calendar said it was going to be this summer. The younger brother of the Espai Barça will have to wait patiently for its turn.