Jaume Collboni, the Mayor of Barcelona, spoke to ‘El Nacional.cat’ about the ongoing work at the Spotify Camp Nou. He stated there’s an issue with the first occupancy license and expressed concerns regarding safety.
Barcelona are pushing ahead with efforts to return to the Spotify Camp Nou as soon as possible. Hopes were high for a return on 10 August for the Joan Gamper Trophy, but those plans were scuppered, and the club announced that the match against Como would be held at the Estadi Johan Cruyff instead.
This came as a blow to Barca fans, who are eager to return home. Barcelona City Council had already cast doubt on the potential return, and Jaume Collboni, in an interview with ‘El Nacional.cat’, discussed the situation at the ground.
“We want what’s best for Barcelona. I believe we’ve had a good working relationship with the club in finding an alternative stadium. We’re very pleased with how it’s worked out, and we’ll continue in this vein. However, we must abide by the regulations, and ensure the regulations are adhered to, regardless of who is carrying out the work, whether it’s a small shop or a stadium,” the Mayor began.
Regarding when the team will play at the Spotify Camp Nou again, the Mayor stated that there is an issue with the first occupancy license, which certifies that the venue meets all legal and technical requirements: “This is assessed, and there are technical requirements that must be met. In this case, the main concern is safety. We will follow the advice of technical specialists at all times regarding the permits that need to be granted.”
Collboni concluded by making it clear that he is confident that there will be good news soon and that Barcelona fans will return home. “I hope it goes well and as quickly as possible, but we must, of course, comply with the regulations,” he asserted.
Laporta recently declined to provide further dates in an interview with ‘Mundo Deportivo’, although the club are aiming for a return on 14 September. With less than three weeks to go until the start of the 2025-26 La Liga season, the club carried out a technical and operational test at the new Spotify Camp Nou on Monday, with the aim of checking the correct functioning of the main facilities and validating the internal procedures typically used on match days.