Barcelona's Camp Nou comeback delayed until next season

By SABC Sport
21st March 2025

FC Barcelona have officially ruled out a return to the Camp Nou for the remainder of the 2024/25 season, leaving their iconic stadium empty until at least next term.

The club have confirmed to their members and season ticket holders that passes for the Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys, where the first team have been playing, will now be extended to cover all La Liga and UEFA Champions League matches until the campaign wraps up.

Any hopes of sneaking in a few late-season La Liga games at the Camp Nou have been shelved for good.

In an email sent to supporters, Barcelona said: "We are extending the Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys 24/25 pass to include men's first-team matches in La Liga and the UEFA Champions League until the end of the 24/25 season. If you'd like to extend your existing pass to cover these additional games, you can do so via the following link." The message was clear: Montjuic remains home for now.

The club had been dangling the prospect of a Camp Nou return for months, only to push it back time and again. Initially, they targeted last November for a grand homecoming, but that idea fizzled out fast. Then came talk of late January, tied to the end of their Champions League group stage. April was the next hope, followed by May, and now they've thrown in the towel entirely for this season.

Fans will have to wait and see if the stadium's ready when the 2025/26 campaign kicks off.

Barcelona have pinned the delay on the usual headaches that come with a project this size. "In any major construction, unforeseen challenges crop up," the club explained.

They've pointed to delays in getting key materials and skilled workers on site, alongside a stack of permits that haven't arrived on schedule. Weather hasn't helped either, last summer's drought and recent heavy downpours have thrown a spanner in the works. With a tight fixture list and no room for slip-ups, the decision was made to see out the season at Montjuic.

The club, for their part, are staying tight-lipped on a firm return date, leaving everyone guessing about when the famous old ground will roar again. For now, it's all eyes on Montjuic as Barcelona chase silverware away from their spiritual home.