Barcelona vice president speaks out after Camp Nou return delay – ‘Challenging to align with regulations’ | OneFootball

Barcelona were rocked yesterday after the City Council refused to grant them a first occupancy license for the Camp Nou project.

A first-occupancy license would have gone a long way in helping Barcelona return to Camp Nou on August 10, when they take on Como in the Joan Gamper trophy.

However, following the refusal, it has been confirmed that Barcelona will not return to Camp Nou on August 10.

In the wake of this event, the club’s Vice President, Elena Fort, has spoken out, giving a clarification regarding the order.

Elena Fort on City Council’s rejection

Fort started by confirming that the Camp Nou return has indeed been delayed on account on the failure to get the first occupancy license.

“Despite our announced intention, we have reached an agreement with the city municipality to postpone the return to the Spotify Camp Nou stadium, which was scheduled for August 10 on the occasion of the Joan Gamper Trophy,” she said (h/t Mundo Deportivo).

She went on to explain the nature of the order and why the club failed to secure the first occupancy license.

“The reason is the inability to strictly comply with the municipal instructions regarding the execution of the works and their deadlines, as well as the insufficient time needed to complete all the necessary procedures and transactions,” she said.

When will Barcelona return to Camp Nou? (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)

Interestingly, Fort called out on municipal regulations, citing them as irrelevant due to the scale and nature of the Camp Nou project.

“The scale of the completed works and those still in progress makes it difficult to reconcile with a literal interpretation and application of the municipal instructions and regulations when requesting the initial occupancy permit,” she said.

Fort explained that these regulations were drawn up for old municipal and residential buildings. Camp Nou, however, is a completely different project that should be viewed under a different ambit, she argued.

“It should be noted that these regulations were primarily designed for traditional buildings that are constructed, completed, and then undergo the necessary inspections before being put into use.

“However, we are dealing with a unique construction project, executed daily and changing every day; it is a living project, and for this reason, it has been challenging to align with the existing regulations,” she said.

Finally, Fort confirmed that Barcelona are working with the City Council to ensure all the documentation so that the club can return to Camp Nou at the earliest.

“We are currently working with the city municipality and all relevant parties to find this alignment and to obtain the initial occupancy permit as quickly as possible,” she concluded.

Barcelona are indeed gearing up for a September return to the Camp Nou. However, the club appear to have drawn up contingency plans, with a return to Montjuic not ruled out either.