Barcelona president sets a date for the team’s return to the Spotify Camp Nou | OneFootball

As FC Barcelona get set to take on Club Brugge later tonight in the UEFA Champions League, club president Joan Laporta has provided an update on the team’s potential return to the Spotify Camp Nou.

After multiple setbacks and delays, the expectation is that the Blaugrana will finally make their long-awaited move back to the redeveloped Camp Nou later this month.

As preparation and pilot test for the stadium, Barcelona have organised an open training session this Friday at their iconic ground, with all tickets for the event already sold out.

Laporta excited

Speaking during a visit to the City Hall of Bruges earlier today, Barcelona president Laporta could not hide his excitement and delight over the sell-out of tickets for the training session.

“There is a lot of excitement about Camp Nou. We are very grateful to the members and fans for being so enthusiastic. It’s great news that all the tickets have been sold,” said Laporta, as quoted by SPORT.

“It’s a test that needs to be done. The training session will help us to see how everything will work in terms of organising a football match,” the club chief added.

A return is close. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)

The president also revealed a tentative date for the team’s full return to the stadium, saying:

“Everything has been checked and is ready, and now we will conduct a public test to confirm this. Barring any unforeseen circumstances, the return will take place on 22 or 29 November,” Laporta explained.

Barcelona expect to receive the occupancy license for Phase 1B, which expands the Camp Nou’s capacity to 45,000 spectators, between November 12 and 15.

Optimism is high within the club, as construction on the lateral stands has been completed for weeks, and final touch-ups are being made to resolve minor issues detected in recent inspections.

If the timeline holds, Barça’s return to their home ground will come right after the international break. While the November 22 match against Athletic Club might come a bit too soon, the November 29 clash with Alaves looks like the most likely occasion.

The date carries extra meaning as it will mark the club’s 126th anniversary, making the comeback to the Spotify Camp Nou an even more special celebration.