Camp Nou, old customs

BarcelonaJoan Garcia was the first player to have the honor of stepping onto the Camp Nou pitch on this historic day. The goalkeeper spent a good while applauding the fans, looking to the right and left, contemplating the stadium's majesty. He had already participated in the open training session, but nothing compared to the butterflies in his stomach on match day. Szczesny followed, and a few minutes later the rest of his teammates appeared to warm up. The stands, still half full, were beginning to buzz. And they buzzed for quite some time, although, such is football—and such is Barça—there was more noise before the match than when the ball started rolling.

The day began with intense cold in the Les Corts neighborhood, which was quickly offset by the bustle of fans who didn't want to miss the return home. Unlike other matches, it was harder to distinguish the tourists from the local supporters. It's the foreigners who go overboard taking selfies and immortalizing their presence at Camp Nou a thousand times over. Of course, the season ticket holders, who hadn't taken one in two and a half years, were doing exactly the same. "We can always say we were there," two young members said to justify themselves, gazing at the stadium from one of the access walkways.

Everything is new. The structure of the third tier and the change in slope of the first tier have resulted in significant changes to the access points. The gate names are also different. Between this and the construction work, which forces some zigzags to enter the stadium, arrival is slower than usual. Most people are having trouble finding their way around. Nothing that can't be solved with a little goodwill. Everything seems to be working correctly, just as it did in the pilot test a few weeks ago. That day there were 23,000 fans. Yesterday, 45,157, almost double.

Barça celebrates a 'sold out' after the controversy over ticket prices

The fact that the tickets were extremely expensive hasn't prevented the stadium from filling up. There were even touts at the entrance hoping to snag a desperate tourist.Sold out"!", they exclaimed from Barça, celebrating that the risky and unpopular pricing policy had finally paid off. The music, pyrotechnics, and CAT's entertainment helped make the pre-match atmosphere enjoyable. While fans usually arrive late to their seats, this time most were hurrying to be among the first. Figa Flawas's performance and the singing of the Barça anthem by the Cor Jove del Orfeó Català marked the moments before one of the most emotional: the honorary service, performed by the two longest-serving members, Juan Canela Salamero and Jordi Penas Iberri, who were also present at the opening ceremony. They were expected to score first. Rumor has it that the club had already given them a fair chance in that friendly. But now it was an official match against an opponent, Athletic Club, that usually makes things difficult. The score remained in favor of the home team for several minutes.

Camp Nou, old habits. The stadium, more than a football pitch, could have resembled the Liceu opera house. Not even the chants of "Messi, Messi" managed to gain traction. These chants served to create an atmosphere in a stadium with a still strange appearance, with cranes, the third tier only half-finished, and the north goal area unusable. Members leaving early, lest they find a queue at the exit. Now, it can finally be said loud and clear: football has returned to Camp Nou.