By Martin Graham
Delays and temporary homesOptimism for upcoming fixtures
Barcelona are preparing to play once more at their traditional ground when they meet Athletic Club in La Liga this weekend. The match, scheduled for Saturday, 22 November, at 15:15 GMT, marks their first competitive appearance there in more than two years.
The arena will be in use again after partial reconstruction, with its capacity temporarily limited to 45,401 for this fixture. The team’s last official outing at the venue came on 28 May 2023, when they faced Real Mallorca before building work forced its closure.
Renovation efforts began in June 2023 with an estimated cost of around £1.1bn. The project aims to modernize the entire complex and eventually enlarge its capacity to 105,000, placing it among the world’s largest football arenas.
Delays and temporary homes
The initial intention was to reopen the ground in November 2024 to align with the club’s 125th anniversary. However, the Catalan side encountered several setbacks that pushed the timeline back.
During this extended period away from their historic site, the squad mainly contested fixtures at the Olympic Stadium on Montjuic Hill, a venue holding roughly 55,000 spectators.
They also played two games this season at the Johan Cruyff Stadium, which seats 6,000, after missing a required permit to return to their main ground due to safety considerations.
Optimism for upcoming fixtures
Club officials expressed satisfaction at returning, noting the importance of resuming matches at their long-standing home while the wider redevelopment continues.
The institution also stated that it is in communication with UEFA about the possibility of staging next week’s Champions League tie against Eintracht Frankfurt at the refurbished location, although confirmation has not yet been given.
Opened in 1957, the stadium had previously accommodated around 99,000 supporters before construction work began.
Martin Graham is an MFF sports writer
