Barcelona forced to delay Camp Nou return AGAIN as club take drastic action

Barcelona have suspended their first game back at the Camp Nou less than a month before they were scheduled to make their grand return. Barca haven't played a match at their iconic home ground since May 2023 in what was supposed to be an 18-month absence while the stadium was rebuilt for £1.25billion.

The La Liga champions moved to the city's Olympic stadium in the Montjuic district ahead of the 2023-24 season and ended up playing the entirety of last term there, too. Barcelona were hoping to finish the campaign at the Camp Nou but after constant delays, Hansi Flick's side ultimately had to remain at their temporary home.

Earlier this month, it seemed that there was finally light at the end of the tunnel. Barca president Joan Laporta announced that their pre-season friendly against Italian side Como on Sunday, August 10 would mark the first stage of the Camp Nou's reopening with a reduced capacity crowd.

But those plans have quickly been scrapped. Barca announced on Friday that the 'necessary work to comply with the requirements of the Ordinance Regulating Municipal Intervention Procedures in Construction Works has made it impossible to complete the procedures required for the granting of the initial licence'.

The club added: "Specifically, due to the scale of the work carried out, it has not been possible to meet all the conditions laid out by the regulations governing this licence, despite the club's intention to reopen the redeveloped stadium sector by sector.

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"The club is liaising closely with Barcelona City Council and the relevant authorities to make progress on the different requirements and will inform its members and fans of any new developments regarding the return date. This delay does not affect the planned schedule for the repayment of the Espai Barca debt."

Next month's match will now be played at the Johan Cruyff stadium, where Barcelona's women's team play, which has a capacity of just 6,000. Laporta showed off their new stadium earlier this week when they announced Lamine Yamal's move to the No.10 shirt.

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Barca were granted permission by La Liga to play their first three domestic fixtures away from home. There's now a race against the clock for the Camp Nou to be ready in time for their first home match against Valencia, currently scheduled for the weekend of Sunday, September 14.

Work will continue on the new-look stadium throughout the season but it isn't expected to be completed until at least the start of the 2026-27 campaign. Barca's home games, if played at the Camp Nou, will have a reduced capacity of between 50,000 and 60,000.

It's being reported that Barca aren't ruling out a return to Montjuic, as they're due to play at least one home Champions League fixture by October. Going back up the city's hill would cost the cash-strapped club another unwelcome rent payment.

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