Barcelona given a strict deadline by UEFA to confirm home stadium for Champions League | OneFootball

With the month of September just around the corner, Barcelona are gearing up for the much-awaited return to Camp Nou.

However, the club have faced multiple setbacks in their bid to return to the iconic stadium, having found it difficult to complete the first phase project in time while also struggling to receive clearances.

While Barcelona may be able to secure their Camp Nou return in La Liga later this month, the club are unsure about playing Champions League matches, as the first phase project does not meet the necessary requirements to broadcast UCL games.

Barcelona to receive UEFA relief

But in a major relief for Barcelona, it appears the club are set to receive permission from UEFA to play their first league phase match away from home.

This is according to The Athletic, which suggests that UEFA is ready to alter Barcelona’s schedule in order to help the club return to Camp Nou.

Can the Camp Nou host Champions League matches this season? (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)

This comes just before the UEFA Champions League phase draw, where Barcelona might get drawn in the same group as Manchester City, PSG, Borussia Dortmund, among others.

Should the Catalans play their first match away from home, they might receive some vital time required to complete the remaining works and ensure that Camp Nou is fit to host UCL matches.

However, even this does not guarantee that the Camp Nou will be ready in time. UEFA, in fact, have now given the Catalans a strict September 21 deadline to confirm where they are going to play in the UCL league phase this season.

It must be noted that the UCL doesn’t allow clubs to change venues in the middle of a league phase, meaning once Barcelona play at a different stadium, such as the Montjuic, they will have to keep playing there until the knockout rounds.