Report – Reason for the delays in further expansion of Barcelona’s Spotify Camp Nou | OneFootball

Coming into the new year, FC Barcelona were confident about expanding the renovated Spotify Camp Nou further to increase the capacity to more than 60,000.

The idea was that they would obtain the permits corresponding to Phase 1C from the Barcelona City Council, in time to open the venue for 62,000+ supporters for the game against Levante on February 22.

However, those plans have now been pushed back, with Catalunya Radio (h/t AS) providing an update on the reason for the delays.

Miscommunication between the club and the council

As per the report, the City Council will not grant permit 1C to Barcelona in time for the match against Levante UD at the Spotify Camp Nou on 22 February.

This means the game will be limited to just over 44,000 spectators rather than the 62,000 that would be allowed if the relevant licences and permits for the next phase had been approved.

The underlying issue is that Barça have not yet submitted all the documentation required to obtain the 1C licence, a complex but necessary bureaucratic process.

In addition, there was a misunderstanding in the latest meeting between all parties regarding problems encountered when leaving the stadium, where several exits became congested as bottlenecks formed in certain sections.

Barcelona waiting for 1C permits from the City Council. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)

Technical advisers recommended opening all gates, while the club considered that measure unnecessary because they did not have sufficient staff to manage so many open access points.

A few days later, the matter was clarified when the technicians explained that they meant the gates should not be locked with padlocks, rather than being fully opened.

In any case, the episode highlights coordination problems between the different parties, which are delaying the transition to the next phase indefinitely.

Villarreal game the target

At present, the club are focused on securing permit 1C in time for the match against Villarreal on 28 February.

This is not only to satisfy the club members, especially with elections approaching, but also for financial reasons. For every match played with the capacity limited to 44,000 spectators, the club loses between €1-1.5 million in revenue.

To obtain approval, Barcelona will require clearance from City Council technicians, the Fire Brigade, Civil Protection, the Mossos d’Esquadra and the Guardia Urbana.