Decision made – Barcelona will play Valencia at Estadi Johan Cruyff | OneFootball

Barring any last-minute surprises, FC Barcelona will play their first La Liga home match of the season against Valencia at Estadi Johan Cruyff, reports SPORT.

The Catalans will officially announce this afternoon that the fixture against Valencia, scheduled for Sunday, 14 September at 21:00, will take place in Sant Joan Despi after the City Council did not grant the required licences for a return to the Camp Nou.

Uncertainty over

The decision, taken ahead of today’s final municipal inspection of the ongoing works at the Spotify Camp Nou, ends weeks of uncertainty.

Barça had been hoping to reopen their stadium with a limited 27,000-seat capacity but were unable to obtain the required First Occupancy certificate for the initial phase, despite last-minute efforts to test the stadium’s technological viability.

The alternative of moving the match to the Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys was dismissed early on due to concerns over the pitch, which will be hosting a Post Malone concert just two days before the Valencia clash.

Estadi Johan Cruyff ready

Barcelona will play Valencia at Estadi Johan Cruyff. (Photo by Judit Cartiel/Getty Images)

With a capacity of just 6,000, Estadi Johan Cruyff will serve as a temporary home. Over the past week, La Liga technicians have carried out inspections and required a number of adjustments to ensure the venue meets league standards.

Among these were optimal VAR camera placements and the installation of a fibre optic system to guarantee broadcast reliability.

Club staff have been working around the clock to finalise the improvements, with workers still active in the stands this Tuesday.

As was the case for the Joan Gamper Trophy match against Como, Barça will set up a dedicated VIP area in an attempt to offset the financial hit from ticketing.

Playing at Estadi Johan Cruyff means accommodating less than a quarter of the fans who would have been able to attend at the Camp Nou’s reduced capacity.

For now, Barcelona’s exile from their iconic home continues, with Estadi Johan Cruyff stepping in once again as the club’s stopgap solution.