Barcelona delays Camp Nou reopening, Olympiakos at Montjuïc stadium

Barcelona’s long-awaited return to the renovated Camp Nou has been delayed again, with the club confirming that its Champions League home match against Olympiakos on October 21 will be played at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys rather than at Spotify Camp Nou. The club said it is still working to obtain the administrative permits required to reopen the stadium after recent inspections by the Barcelona City Council found safety shortcomings.

The announcement follows two earlier home fixtures this season played away from Camp Nou. Barcelona opened domestic and European action by staging matches at the 6,000-seat Estadi Johan Cruyff and then moved to the Olympic Stadium, which has allowed larger attendances of roughly 50,000 to 55,000 fans. The club issued a statement saying, "The Club continues working to obtain the necessary administrative permits for the opening of Spotify Camp Nou in the coming months," and that it had submitted documentation and responses to observations from the city council while addressing new amendments requested by local authorities.

Renovation work on Camp Nou has stretched over two years and the project has faced repeated delays. The redevelopment was...