Barcelona, Sept. 23
– FC Barcelona’s hopes of making an early return to the revamped Camp Nou
have been dashed after the Barcelona City Council rejected the club’s
request to host their LaLiga clash against Real Sociedad at the iconic
stadium.
The council cited safety and security issues at
the under-renovation venue, noting that several elements still required
adjustments before fans could be allowed back. Barca had planned to welcome 27,000
spectators to a reduced-capacity Camp Nou but will now continue playing at
the Lluis Companys Olympic Stadium in Montjuic, where they have been
based since 2023.
“We have identified different elements that need to be
fixed, which impact the safety and security of the stadium,” said Sebastia
Massague, chief of civil protection, during a council meeting.
Barcelona have already endured a disrupted start to
their home campaign. Their LaLiga opener against Valencia was forced to take
place at the Estadi Johan Cruyff training ground, with just 6,000
fans in attendance, after a Post Malone concert left the Lluis Companys
pitch unplayable.
The Catalan giants confirmed that their Champions
League group stage fixture against Paris Saint-Germain on October 1 will
also be staged at Montjuic.
Despite these setbacks, Barca currently sit second
in LaLiga, five points behind leaders Real Madrid but with one game
in hand.
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