Barca's disgrace - they await Valencia at a venue almost ten times smaller than Kasarani!?
.jpg)
Reading Time: 2min | Thu. 11.09.25. | 13:16
Yes, you've read it right... Camp Nou renovation is still not over, Montjuic is occupied and Estadi Johan Cruyff is just a 6,000-seater
Calling it a scandal would be an understatement. Barcelona are about to play their first home match of the La Liga season at the 6,000-capacity Estadi Johan Cruyff next to their training ground.
The renovation of the iconic Camp Nou, worth around € 1.5 billion, is still not finished, and it probably won't be in the near future. The club's initial plan was to get back there at reduced capacity in time for their 125th anniversary celebrations in November 2024. Alas, not only did they miss that target, but - as things stand - the return to Camp Nou is still not in sight.
If Barcelona aren't granted permission to play at the brand new Spotify Camp Nou they will more than likely have to play their first home game of the season at the 6,000 seat Estadi Johan Cruyff 😬 pic.twitter.com/fG0XSTYnKe
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) September 9, 2025
In an interview with local radio station RAC1, Barcelona vice-president Elena Fort said the club had "done everything it could" to host Sunday's season opener against Valencia at Camp Nou. However, she also added:
"I can't guarantee that we'll be at the Camp Nou for Getafe (Barcelona's next home game, on September 21)."
Since June 2023, when reconstruction work started on their legendary venue, Barca has played its home games at the 55,000-capacity Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys, also known as Montjuic.
However, the Blaugrana didn't intend to return there for the 2025-26, and the stadium was not an option this weekend because a Post Malone concert is taking place two days before the Valencia game.
Barca begin their Champions League campaign at Newcastle next Thursday. The Catalan club requested to have their first fixture of the league phase played away. La Liga also granted them a similar request, allowing them to play their first three matches away from home.
Their first home game in this season's Champions League is on October 1, against 2024-25 winners Paris Saint-Germain. Imagine facing the UCL winner at a venue almost ten times smaller than Kasarani... What a disgrace that would be!
.jpg)
