The new Camp Nou turf has its days numbered.

BarcelonaFor about a week now, Camp Nou has looked like a true football stadium once again. Most of the seats in the first and second tiers have been installed, and the pitch has left behind the heavy machinery and cranes to become green again, thanks to the installation of turf panels. The painted lines are also back. In Limak's sprint for deliver the first phase of the works on July 31This image gives optimism to those who hope to be able to play again in the Les Corts neighborhood at the start of next season.

But what many don't know is that this image will soon change. The grass will leave behind its green color to return to the brown and gray of the sand and gravel. The work inside the stadium is not finished. There is still work to be done, and the workers need to step onto the pitch to, among other things, finish the first few rows of seats, which had to be replaced due to the poor condition of the old ones, installed in 1994 under the management of Josep Lluís Núñez. This work will continue throughout the summer, and it won't be until the end of August—if all goes well—that the final turf will be laid.

The process followed with the Camp Nou turf is typical for a renovation of this magnitude. It coincided with the urgent need to complete the areas VIP of the first stands before the end of the accounting season on June 30th, and this has accelerated and slightly modified the initial forecast. In reality, what needs to be ready are the seats and seating areas.hospitalityNow, if these tasks can be combined with a photograph of the stadium preparing to reopen, the project gains credibility in the eyes of the auditor, who must give the final approval to a €100 million operation that Barça needs to include in this season's accounts. Therefore, in addition to the turf, it was decided to paint the lines on the pitch. Official sources at the club specify that this was done because the surveyor needed it to monitor the field. However, sources consulted by this newspaper clarify that, in reality, all that was needed was to mark key points such as the four corners or the center circle with a marker. "What matters are the markers, not the lines. Of course, they have a visual effect and help boost morale for the return," they explain.

At Camp Nou, everything has started from scratch. The pitch has been completely gutted, and new drainage, irrigation, and ventilation systems have been installed. This process makes it difficult for the turf to take root, and if it isn't given time, there's a risk of patches of grass rising mid-match. This is exactly what happened with the renovation in the summer of '94, as the two-month period recommended by the gardeners wasn't followed. To avoid falling into the same trap, the temporary turf has been installed, its sole purpose being to take root and settle the pitch. Once done, the workers will cover it with gravel to continue the stadium remodeling work. And just a few weeks before the return to Camp Nou, the final turf will be installed. It will be a hybrid type, the one previously installed at the stadium and the one planted at Montjuïc.

The return date to Camp Nou is not yet fully set.

From there, the big question remains: when will the final pitch be laid? Which, in essence, is the same as asking when the Camp Nou will return. From Barça, president Joan Laporta commented a few days ago in close circles that he was optimistic about September, both due to the state of the construction work and the reopening permits that must be granted by the Barcelona City Council and the Fire Department. But apart from Laporta's positive attitude, no one dares to give an official answer. The objective, however, is to start the season, so La Liga will request that the first three matchdays of the 2025/26 season be played away from home. If that's achieved, it will be a close call.