Barcelona consider hosting Clasico with Real Madrid abroad | OneFootball

Barcelona are still uncertain of their exact return date to Camp Nou, as renovation work continues on their stadium. Having originally set a date for late November of 2024, their return date has been pushed back on three occasions already. It could have an impact on the final Clasico of the season, unless they meet in the latter stages of European competition.

Their licence for the Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys has been extended with Barcelona City Council until the end of April to remain at Montjuic. However they are unable to prolong their stay up the magic mountain any further, as a series of concerts are planned for May.

Their next fixture, set for the weekend of the 11th of May, is El Clasico. Real Madrid will in theory visit Camp Nou with 60,000 fans returning to their home for the biggest game in the world. However given the uncertainty over the situation, Diario AS say that Barcelona are considering hosting the game abroad. The report, originally from Catalunya Radio, say that the Blaugrana are evaluating the possibility of playing the match at another major European stadium if the Spotify Camp Nou is not ready. The game tends to be worth around €8-9m in matchday revenue, hence their desire to play the game away from Montjuic and its lower capacity.

Image via FC Barcelona

This is not a plan that has been communicated to La Liga or the RFEF yet, both of which would have to approve the plans. It should be noted that on multiple occasions La Liga have proposed hosting games in the USA, with the most recent plans to play Barcelona against Atletico Madrid in Miami last December scrapped.

Those plans have had the approval of Barcelona, which suggests La Liga might be open to the idea. The plans were scrapped by the RFEF, as they did not have a permanent president in place at the time, and there was doubt over the legality of it being approved by an interim committee. Recently installed Rafael Louzan does appear to have a good relationship with La Liga President Javier Tebas, with the latter appointed to the RFEF board by Louzan.