Madrid (AFP) – Barcelona will play home games away from Camp Nou during the 2023-24 season while the stadium is being redeveloped, the club confirmed on Thursday.
Barca will relocate to the Olympic Stadium in Montjuic before returning to Camp Nou for the 2024-25 campaign, when the capacity will be reduced “by approximately 50 percent”, the club said.
Renovation work will start at Camp Nou in June and is due to take four years to complete.
Barcelona members approved the 1.5 billion-euro-project in December, aimed at revamping the ageing Camp Nou and its surrounding areas.
The stadium’s capacity will be increased from just over 99,000 to 105,000, while innovations will include the installation of a retractable roof covered in solar panels, as well as several commercial facilities including a hotel, ice rink and offices.
Barca president Joan Laporta said delaying the demolition of the stadium’s third tier will allow Camp Nou to operate at “virtually full capacity next season”.
“Demolition any earlier would have meant having to go next season with just 50 percent capacity,” said Laporta.
“To minimise risks and protect next season’s income, we will maintain virtually full capacity next season and proceed to demolish the third tier when we go to Montjuic.”
The Olympic Stadium, which has a capacity of 60,713, was previously home to Barcelona’s local rivals Espanyol, who played there between 1997 and 2009.
Lionel Messi made his professional debut for Barca at the stadium, against Espanyol in 2004.
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BARCELONA will not play at the Nou Camp during the 2023-2024 season while their iconic ground undergoes major renovation.
Barca president Joan Laporta and Barcelona's City Council have agreed the club will move to the Lluis Companys Olympic Stadium where all of their home games will take place after the upcoming campaign.
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Barcelona are set to move to the Lluis Companys Olympic Stadium next yearCredit: Reuters4
Barcelona have announced they will not play at the Nou Camp in the 2023-2024 seasonCredit: GettyBarcelona's legendary ground is set for a £1.2billion makeover, which will begin this month.
The Catalan giants will continue to play at their natural home this season while renovations take place in the first and second tiers.
But their third tier will be demolished next summer and the stadium will be unusable for a year.
Their temporary new home, which is also known as the Montjuic, has a capacity of around 55,000.
Laporta issued the following statement: "FC Barcelona will play at this stadium in the 23/24 season, while work is being done on the Espai Barca, for which the City Council recently granted the license.
"At Barca we are grateful to the city for helping us so much with the negotiations.
"FC Barcelona is committed to adapting the Olympic facilities and ensuring the comfort of our members and fans on match day. We will modernise various services and auxiliary spaces such as the press room, changing rooms and the indoor parking area.
"We estimate that the transfer to Montjuic will cost Barca between 15-20 million euros.
"We are talking about the iconic venue of the Barcelona Olympics. We are talking about an international symbol of the city and we would like our season here, 2023-24, to make this stadium the epicentre of Barca supporters, shared with this great city that is Barcelona.
"All members and season ticket holders who want to come to the stadium will be able to do so by means of a democratic system on a rotation basis so that as many people as possible get the chance to be here at the Olympic Stadium.”
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Barcelona will return to their 99,354-capacity stadium for the 2024-2025 campaign, though at a reduced 50 per cent capacity.
The remodelling is expected to be completed in full by the 2025-2026 campaign with an improved capacity of 105,000.
The Catalans confirmed in March their iconic ground will be renamed the Spotify Nou Camp, after securing a £237million sponsorship deal.
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Barcelona will return to the renovated Nou Camp in the 2025-2026 seasonCredit: FC Barcelona4
Barcelona's Nou Camp will soon have an improved capacity of 105,000 seatsCredit: FC Barcelona