Barcelona Approaches Return to Camp Nou with Open Training Session

On Friday, Barcelona conducted an open training session at Spotify Camp Nou, attracting 23,000 supporters as the club inches closer to returning to their historic stadium.

Since 2023, Barça has not hosted matches at Camp Nou, having temporarily relocated to the Olympic Stadium to facilitate a €1.5 billion renovation of the venue. Friday’s session served as a test event in anticipation of resuming official games later this month.

Club President Joan Laporta stated that the aim is to return for either the La Liga fixture against Athletic Club on November 22 or the match against Alavés a week later on November 29, coinciding with the club’s 126th anniversary. Should those dates not materialize, Barça will host Atlético Madrid in the league on December 2.

The specific date of their return hinges on when the council grants Barcelona a permit to accommodate matches with a maximum capacity of 45,401 fans. Currently, the club holds a license allowing only 25,991 attendees, which was approved in October, and they prefer to wait until they can welcome a larger crowd before making their official comeback.

Renovation work continues at the stadium, with the first two tiers nearing completion; however, the third tier and the roof remain to be finished. The estimated completion date for the entire project is 2027, with the capacity gradually increasing to reach 105,000.

After the training session, Laporta reiterated his desire to welcome former Barça star Lionel Messi back for the stadium’s full inauguration. “It would be a remarkable way to open the stadium once it’s completed, with 105,000 fans paying tribute to Leo,” Laporta remarked to reporters. “It all depends on what the Messi camp decides. There are also presidential elections ahead, but if I am still president, I would love that.”

Messi’s departure from Barcelona in the summer of 2021 was abrupt, lacking a proper farewell due to the urgency of his exit and COVID-19 restrictions at the time. The Argentine forward has not publicly addressed the possibility of returning for any commemorative match.

The anticipation for returning to Camp Nou has exceeded initial expectations, as Barça originally hoped to be back by the end of 2024. The club considered a return earlier this year before postponing the date to the current season’s commencement in September.

Due to delays in obtaining the required permits, Barça played their first two games of the season at Estadi Johan Cruyff, which has a capacity of only 6,000, and subsequently returned to the Olympic Stadium for their last five home matches. They are hopeful that their recent 3-1 victory over Elche will mark their final game at the Olympic venue.