BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Barcelona returns to Camp Nou for Saturday’s Spanish league match against Athletic Bilbao.
The club announced on Monday that 45,401 people will be allowed into the venue for the team’s first game back since renovations began in 2023. The new Camp Nou will eventually accommodate 105,000 fans.
Barcelona also said they would like to host their Champions League game against Eintracht Frankfurt on December 9 at the renovated stadium.
A return to partial capacity will be possible after clubs secure some of the necessary permits to welcome fans back into venues.
Over 20,000 people paid watch team practice November 7th at the Camp Nou.
Renovation work on the stadium began in June 2023 to expand the capacity of Europe’s largest football venue, which previously held 99,000 people. A heavily indebted club was secured. 1.45 billion euros It raised funds ($1.6 billion at the time) from multiple investors to work on the renovation project.
The club hopes the return to the Camp Nou will increase opportunities for matchday sales and merchandise sales.
Barcelona had originally planned to resume play at the venue as early as November 2024, to coincide with the club’s 125th anniversary, but that deadline has been repeatedly pushed back. The team has played in the city’s 55,000-seat Olympic Stadium since the start of the 2023-24 season.
Another postponement this summer meant the club had to scramble to host a Spanish league match in September at a 6,000-seat stadium on a training ground on the outskirts of the city.
Barcelona are trailing league leaders Real Madrid by three points after 12 games. Madrid visit Elche on Sunday.
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