Barcelona facing a race against time to secure Camp Nou return before Valencia game | OneFootball

FC Barcelona face a race against the clock to secure their return to Spotify Camp Nou, as the home fixture against Valencia on Sunday, 14 September, draws closer.

The club are under pressure to confirm whether the game can be hosted at Camp Nou or whether the Estadi Johan Cruyff will be required as an alternative.

Next steps

According to Mundo Deportivo, Barcelona expect to obtain the Final Works Certificate (CFO) this week.

Once that is secured, the club estimate that between Monday and Wednesday of next week they will receive the report from Dekra, an entity authorised by the City Council that must issue the technical evaluation required for the application of the First Occupancy Licence.

This inspection covers safety, access, signage, and emergency systems.

Although the schedule is tight, Barcelona continue to trust that they will be granted the Partial First Occupancy Licence by the City Council once this week’s steps are completed. This document is essential for reopening the stadium.

The club’s target is to activate phase 1A of the return plan, allowing an initial capacity of about 27,000 spectators in the main stand and south goal areas.

Will Camp Nou be ready in two weeks? (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)

Municipal sources recently noted that following the inspection by technicians, firefighters, and the city police, the stadium still required adjustments in signage, emergency exits, and service areas. Nevertheless, the club remain confident these issues can be solved in time.

On Monday, a follow-up meeting took place between representatives of Barcelona, the City Council, firefighters, and the city police to review the most critical areas of the project and assess the stadium’s viability for reopening on the 14th.

Plan B

During the meeting, the club also presented Estadi Johan Cruyff as a formal alternative, though club sources insisted it was a procedural matter.

If licences are not obtained on schedule, Barcelona already have the contingency plan of hosting Valencia at Estadi Johan Cruyff.

La Liga has exceptionally approved this despite its reduced capacity of around 6,000 seats, which falls below the 8,000 required by regulations, provided audiovisual and VAR infrastructure is installed.

This would cost approximately €70,000, and the club are prepared to carry out the work, which could be ready as early as next Wednesday if the licence is not granted.