Barcelona confirm venue for second La Liga home game as Camp Nou delay continues | OneFootball

Barcelona have confirmed that this weekend’s La Liga fixture will not take place at the Spotify Camp Nou.

The Blaugranas are set to take on Getafe on home turf, but the game will be played at the 6,000-capacity Estadi Johan Cruyff Stadium.

It’s the second time this season that the men’s side will use the makeshift venue after last weekend’s 2-1 win against Valencia.

Barca were expected to return to their iconic home turf this season. They wanted to cut the ribbon with a reduced capacity of 27,000 for their first home league game.

However, they have struggled to get the necessary permits from the city council.

In a statement, Barca stressed that they are ‘working intensively’ to secure approval for the reopening, although no specific timeline has been confirmed.

Supporters who missed out on tickets for the Valencia game will be given priority for this weekend’s match.

But the club’s plans to reopen at limited capacity would still leave many season ticket holders disappointed.

The current situation is a result of a series of delays in the €1.5 billion redevelopment of Spotify Camp Nou, which began in June 2023.

Barca have been using the 55,000-capacity Estadi Lluis Companys at Montjuic as their makeshift home ground since last season.

However, the stadium was unavailable for the first two home fixtures due to a Post Malone concert and preparations for Barca’s annual Festes de la Merce celebrations later this month.

The latest delay in Spotify Camp Nou’s return means Barca may have to wait until September 28, when they take on Real Sociedad to mark their return.

However, there are concerns that it could still be a race against time to complete the necessary steps. If that’s not possible, Barca will be forced to use Johan Cruyff Stadium again.

Barca will hope the Spotify Camp Nou is available for their first home game in the Champions League against Paris Saint-Germain on October 1.

But that depends on whether they can get the final certifications, including the Certificat de Final d’Obra (CFO).