Barcelona had hoped to be back at the Spotify Camp Nou by now, but a number of delays mean that they are still playing at the Estadi Olimpic in Montjuic. As things stand, there is no definitive return date that has been planned out by the club, although they do believe that they will be back home before the end of this season.
In recent days, it has been reported that El Clasico, which is scheduled in May, could be played outside of Spain if the Spotify Camp Nou is not ready to host matches by that time. This would allow Barcelona to earn extra funds, although it would require sign-off from Real Madrid, which is far from certain.
However, Barcelona believe it won’t need to come to that, as MD have reported that there is an expectation that Hansi Flick’s squad will be able to return to the Spotify Camp Nou by May, meaning that El Clasico would be able to be played in the new stadium.
That match between Barcelona and Real Madrid could have huge implications in the La Liga title race. The two clubs are currently separated by seven points (Real Madrid 1st, Barcelona 3rd), but given that the Catalans have looked back to their best in the first few weeks of 2025, they will hope to close the gap by the time May rolls around.
There is no doubt that there is a restlessness within Barcelona for the first team’s return to the Spotify Camp Nou – not only for the on-field benefits, but also because it will allow matchday revenue to significantly increase compared to the money that is currently being earned from playing at the Estadi Olimpic. For now, club officials must be patient, although there is a growing belief that they will be back soon.
