Barcelona vice-president Elena Fort has opened up on the circumstances surrounding the delayed return of the current LaLiga champions to the Spotify Camp Nou after spending the majority of last season at a makeshift home turf.
The Blaugrana had announced plans to host the Joan Gamper Trophy on August 10, signalling a much awaited return to their historic homeground, but local authorities denied approval for matches to be played at the stadium in its current condition.
As a result, the club hierarchy, through vice-president Fort has come with an apology to fans, shedding some light on the current situation.
What did Elena Fort say?
“Despite our announced intention, we have reached an agreement with the city municipality to postpone the return to the Spotify Camp Nou stadium, which was scheduled for August 10 on the occasion of the Joan Gamper Trophy,” Fort told Barca One.
“The reason is the inability to strictly comply with the municipal instructions regarding the execution of the works and their deadlines, as well as the insufficient time needed to complete all the necessary procedures and transactions.
“The scale of the completed works and those still in progress makes it difficult to reconcile with a literal interpretation and application of the municipal instructions and regulations when requesting the initial occupancy permit.
“It should be noted that these regulations were primarily designed for traditional buildings that are constructed, completed, and then undergo the necessary inspections before being put into use.
“However, we are dealing with a unique construction project, executed daily and changing every day; it is a living project, and for this reason, it has been challenging to align with the existing regulations. We are currently working with the city municipality and all relevant parties to find this alignment and to obtain the initial occupancy permit as quickly as possible.”
Whether Barcelona will be able to sort out their stadium issues before the end of the 25/26 season remains uncertain. For now, it looks like the Spanish champions will have to continue making use of a temporary location for their home games.
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