Barcelona’s long-awaited return to the Spotify Camp Nou has sparked enormous excitement, and ahead of the historic moment, club vice president Elena Fort offered deeper insight into what this comeback truly represents.
For the fans, who have waited more than two years to return home, her reflections helped place the scale of the project into proper context.
Before sharing her first major message, Fort wanted to remind just how demanding the reconstruction has been. She explained the current phase by saying,
“It has been a long, complex process. An intense process, but also an exciting one. These are works of incredible dimensions,” she said on El Larguero.
“It is the most important private civil engineering project currently underway in Europe.
“Over the past few months, we have learned what was being done well and what was not. Many factors have led us to go beyond what we had initially planned.
“The important thing is to be able to say that we are coming back and that we will be able to enjoy this stadium, which still has a lot of work ahead of it. We are in the middle phase, we still have time.”
Explaining the delays
While acknowledging the challenges and delays, Fort made sure to underline the club’s efforts to remain accountable and transparent throughout.
Offering context on the criticism Barcelona has faced over missed deadlines, she added,
“We must always be self-critical. With the delay, certain things may not be understood, but I want to highlight several things.
“The club’s transparency, which belongs to its members, with information sessions, press conferences, constant cameras inside the stadium, and explaining our specific perspectives at every moment.
“Yes, many of the things or deadlines we said we would meet have not been met, but I have no regrets.
“I think the exercise has been worthwhile, and when we have had to rectify, we have done so.
Spotify Camp Nou, Barcelona home ground
Barcelona will return to Spotify Camp Nou this weekend. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)
“Despite not having got it right, as is evident, I prefer to highlight that exercise. And I’m telling you this, as I’ve been the one putting myself out there.”
Timeline of completion
Looking toward the future, Fort also offered reassurance regarding the stadium’s completion timeline and the club’s intention to avoid another relocation.
Introducing her next point, she clarified Barcelona’s official forecast,
“The forecast is that we will be able to have full capacity at Spotify Camp Nou at the start of the 26/27 season.”
She then expanded on the doubts about whether Barça might need to temporarily leave again during the installation of the new roof.
“It is not planned, because we will try to limit the time frame for the roof installation.
“We can also request that some matches, before and after, be moved so that we do not have to play at home.
“The idea is not to have to leave, and we will try to do so, but if we have to, we will.”
On potential rename
Finally, Fort was asked about Lionel Messi’s brief visit to the stadium and whether the club might one day name the new Camp Nou after the Argentine icon.
Before delivering her response, she made it clear that the topic is delicate and deeply tied to Barça’s traditions. She explained,
“At Barcelona, we try not to personalise the facilities and spaces too much, with some exceptions.
“It is true that there is the Estadi Johan Cruyff. At the time, there was an attempt to name it after Gamper, who is the founder, but the Barcelona fans themselves did not accept it. There are many ways to pay tribute.”
Even so, she left the door open for the idea should the club’s members ever request such a tribute.