Barcelona's Return to Camp Nou Delayed by 'Issues'

Barcelona's return to Camp Nou has been delayed again after the Spanish champions announced Thursday that their iconic stadium won't be ready for their upcoming Champions League match against Greek side Olympiacos on October 21. The club is still waiting for city permits despite over two years of renovation work.

Barcelona had hoped to get approval from the city council in time for their third Champions League fixture this month. But the permits didn't come through, which means they'll have to play at the Olympic Stadium again - the same venue where they lost 2-1 to Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday.

"The club continues working to obtain the necessary administrative permits to open Camp Nou in the coming days," Barcelona said in a statement.

The famous stadium remains unfit for matches even at reduced capacity. City fire officials say there are still problems with evacuation routes and other safety issues that need fixing before any games can be played there.

When complete, the new Camp Nou will hold 105,000 spectators, making it one of the world's largest football stadiums. The original plan called for reopening in November 2024, but construction delays have pushed that timeline back multiple times.

Barcelona played their first three La Liga matches of the season away from home to give workers more time to prepare the stadium. When they returned to Barcelona for home games, they had to use the tiny Johan Cruyff Stadium next to their training ground, which only seats 6,000 fans. They beat Valencia and Getafe there, but it's hardly the atmosphere Camp Nou provides.

The renovation project carries a hefty price tag of €1.5 billion ($1.75 billion), which Barcelona is financing through loans and naming rights deals. The delay adds financial pressure on a club already dealing with significant debt issues.

For now, German coach Hansi Flick's team will keep playing their biggest matches at the Olympic Stadium while they wait for bureaucratic approval. The situation shows how complex major stadium projects can become, even when the construction work appears nearly finished.