After significant delays and soaring costs, FC Barcelona’s iconic Spotify Camp Nou finally welcomed fans back for a test phase, with president Joan Laporta hailing it as an “architectural jewel.”
FC Barcelona has taken a momentous step toward completing the Espai Barça project, staging a test event at the partially finished Spotify Camp Nou after approximately 900 days of construction.
More than 21,000 fans were granted access to the iconic ground to witness an open training session, marking the first time the stadium has hosted a large crowd since renovations began.
The rebirth of the Camp Nou has been a challenging and protracted affair, marked by soaring costs, missed deadlines, and complex financial renegotiations for the massive infrastructure project.
The initial reopening saw the stadium operating in a test phase with a limited 25,000 capacity, but the sight of supporters back in the stands, coupled with coach Hansi Flick scoring the first goal on the new turf, signals that a full return is imminent.
Club President Joan Laporta celebrated the emotional return for the fanbase, contrasting the new structure with the historic venue: “an architectural jewel that will be the best in the world,” saying it “retains the magic of its greatest moments but with a new soul – it’s like going back to the future.”
The article notes that the contrast with the swift modernisation of Real Madrid’s Santiago Bernabéu is “stark,” but for the Barça faithful who have watched their team from alternative venues for the past three years, the sight of their spiritual home “is akin to nirvana.”
The event provides the clearest indication yet that the Camp Nou is nearly back in business.