Pros and cons of an early return to Camp Nou

BarcelonaBarça's return to Camp Nou It was so rushed The workers didn't have time to take anything from the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys. It wasn't until this week that they began the task of removing everything belonging to the Barça club, from access passes to the furniture in the meeting rooms and other spaces. VIPThe club is preparing to live, for at least two years, amidst cranes, construction workers, and temporary access points. And, at the same time, to begin exploiting the economic resources generated by the new facilities, although it won't be until it's finished that it can expect to generate the projected €350 million in revenue. This money, as is well known, will largely go towards repaying the nearly €1.5 billion loan obtained through Goldman Sachs and JP Morgan. The main reason for bringing forward the return, even with a partial capacity of 45,000 seats, was to stop paying rent for Montjuïc and focus solely on generating revenue at Camp Nou. But this has a major drawback: the renovation will take even longer. By 25%, according to Joan Sentelles, the club's head of operations. As an example, Barça played against Athletic Club last Saturday, and therefore the cranes were idle. Sunday was a holiday, and this week work has only been possible with relative normality from Monday to Thursday. This Friday, the workers are dedicating a good part of the day to organizing the equipment and preparing the access points so that the ball can start rolling again on Saturday against Alavés. Since Atlético de Madrid visits the stadium the following Tuesday, little can be done on Monday. And so on.

With this additional delay, it cannot be guaranteed that the double link of the fish market will be 100% finished and operational by the beginning of the 26-27 season. VIP and the third tier. But the board, with the bottom line in mind, prioritizes this season's revenue, which should end with at least 225 million in stadium income – counting Montjuïc and Camp Nou – 50 million more than last year, played entirely at Lluís Companys.

Exorbitant ticket prices, a toll the board is willing to pay

But reaching these figures comes at a high social cost. Most of the 84,000 season tickets are currently on leave, and the board has limited membership to a maximum of 24,000, prioritizing those who supported the team at Montjuïc. After deducting the club's commitments, approximately 18,000 tickets remain for sale at exorbitant prices. Tickets against Athletic Club ranged from €199 to €589. For the Alavés match, where there will no longer be a "debut effect," prices range from €109 to €329. Members have priority in purchasing tickets and receive a 20% discount, but ultimately... Tourists are the ones who buy the tickets in bulk.The board doesn't hide the fact that this unpopular decision is necessary to make the numbers work. And, for now, they do: the opening match brought in over €6 million in revenue, and with the Alavés game, it should be over €4 million. Season ticket holders will get their seats back when the capacity reaches 105,000 spectators, at the end of 2026. It will be then that the atmosphere in the stadium will be predominantly blue and red. In the meantime, it will be necessary to living with a stadium that's turned offWith many moments of silence and little atmosphere in the incomplete stands: apart from the third tier, the lower section of the north goal cannot be used until the 1c license arrives, probably after the holidays.

In the sports department, they explain that the players appreciated returning to Camp Nou, a stadium where many had not yet played. The fact that their dressing room wasn't finished and they had to change in one of the two available to the visiting team was just a minor detail. They liked the feeling of having the fans close by, and not separated by a running track. But, apart from the four goals scored, the atmosphere was lacking. The massive presence of casual fans who don't necessarily come to support Barça was compounded by the absence of supporters in the Espai d'Animació (Supporters' Area). With the existing one eliminated, the club created the Gol 1957, a kind of youth section that will be located in the lower part of the south goal. But the project is still in its early stages, and it will be months before these fans, whose mission will be to fill the stadium with sound, can take their seats. For now, the seats are covered by giant tarpaulins.

The members' experience won't be complete until the construction is finished.

Leaving aside the grandeur of the project, some long-time members were disappointed with the finishes, such as staircases, railings, and walkways, which they found impersonal. Some of these spaces will improve once the stadium is fully completed. But many will remain as they are, since the builders have prioritized functionality over aesthetics in interior areas. The same is true in the restrooms, where brick walls have been replaced with pressed wood partitions. And the toilets and urinals, previously ceramic, are now stainless steel. Visually, they aren't as appealing, but they serve the same purpose and are more durable. Some found the access points chaotic, a problem that will likely persist because, with construction underway, We'll have to make some zigzags provisionally. Besides the fact that many doors have changed names and numbers, many elevators won't be operational for some time, and the food options are limited to cold sandwiches, as the use of griddles and fryers for baking food is still prohibited.

One of the most frequent comments at Saturday's opening was that the seats were narrower, especially in the first tier. This is the price to pay for adapting to current regulations, as the staircases must be wider, but they don't want to sacrifice capacity. Aside from that, the feeling is that the stands had "changed little." This perception will persist until the roof is installed. At that point, the sound system will be improved, and the final lighting system will be installed, although a small preview of the light show that the new Camp Nou will offer was already given against Athletic Bilbao. We'll also have to wait for the giant screens, and for now, the public will have to make do with the electronic scoreboard that occupies the entire railing of the second tier. Time will tell.