Barcelona executive Joan Sentelles has confirmed the club are hopeful of playing their first game in the renovated Camp Nou when Athletic Club come to town on Nov. 22.
Having already been granted permission to return with a drastically reduced capacity, Barcelona are awaiting the award of license 1B, which will allow them to open up another stand and host 45,401 fans—similar to the capacity of their temporary home, Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys.
In their bid to secure that license, Barcelona held a public training session at Camp Nou on Friday, hosting 23,000 fans in what was the first real test of the stadium. If those assessing the renovation works are satisfied, permission to open up more of the ground could soon follow.
“Our goal is to have it ready in time for the match against Athletic Club,” Sentelles, who is overseeing the renovations, confirmed to Esport3.
“As soon as we obtain the 1B license, we’ll open the Lateral Stand, which will already give us a capacity similar to the Olympic Stadium. At that point, it wouldn’t make sense to continue playing there—all our matches will be here.”
As far as the long-term goal for the future, Sentelles added: “The goal is to have the entire stadium open to 62,000 spectators before the end of the year.”
Joan Laporta
Joan Laporta has a bold vision for Camp Nou. / Angel Martinez/Getty Images
Barcelona president Joan Laporta could not hide his excitement towards not only being back at Camp Nou, but the prospect of seeing competitive action return to the club’s spiritual home in the coming weeks.
“I haven’t been informed of any problems so far,” he said. “We have the initial occupancy permit; it would hold 27,000 spectators, but we’re waiting for the 1B license so that 45,000 can enter. That would mean the entire stadium except for the North Stand.
“We are working so that, when we get the 1B permit, we can play. If they give it to us next week, we could play [against Athletic Club]. But we will play as soon as possible, depending on the permit. We have an obligation to work with dates.”
Not only will a return to Camp Nou provide a much-needed boost to Barcelona’s bank balance, but Laporta is confident it will also inspire improved performances on the pitch.
“This stadium will provide greater comfort and safety, and triple our revenue,” he predicted. “This will significantly improve the club’s finances. We saved it, and now it’s recovering. We’re already generating additional income, which is reflected in the club’s accounts. The construction was necessary to maintain our top level and ensure the club's economic and sporting viability.
“The Spotify Camp Nou is a football pitch. The players were impressed when they came out. For those of us who had been there before, it’s like stepping back into the future.
“Some players had never even set foot in Camp Nou. They had their first training session and we’re very close to returning, which is what they want. The atmosphere can help them a lot.
“Montjuïc has turned out better than we expected. With 45,000 seats, we’re on track to meet the budget, which totals €1.025 billion ($1.2 billion). With 62,000, we’ll be much better off, and I expect we’ll even exceed the budget.
“The stadium is still under construction and will be finished, apart from the roof, by the end of 2026. Our revenue projections were conservative; we think it will be higher.”
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