“20 out of 10″: Barça returns to its temple 894 days later

It wasn’t just another Friday in Barcelona. The Collblanc metro station, the nearest to Spotify Camp Nou, was buzzing. Eight hundred and ninety-four days after leaving its home, Barça finally returned to its temple – and although it wasn’t for a match, it certainly felt like one. Streams of fans poured down Aristides Maillol and Travessera de Les Corts, the streets leading to the Tribuna and Gol Sud stands.

Those were the only sections opened by the club for an open-door training session that doubled as a pilot test for the grand reopening later this month – whether on November 22 (against Athletic Club) or November 29 (against Alavés), a date that also marks Barça’s 126th anniversary and exactly one year after the first planned return date.

A day filled with emotion

For some children skipping school, it was their first time at the stadium. For the older generations, it was a walk through memories: the Cup Winners’ Cup final victory over Standard Liège, the epic comebacks against Anderlecht, Chelsea and Milan, Pichi Alonso’s unforgettable night against Göteborg, Messi’s slalom past Boateng in the 2015 Champions League semi-final, and the legendary 6–1 comeback against PSG. So many Clásicos, so many moments woven into the club’s identity.

The coliseum – demolished and reduced to rubble in the summer of 2023 – is still very much a work in progress. Yet its current appearance, while awaiting the new third tier, feels comfortingly familiar. Barça chose to preserve the structure of the first two tiers as a tribute to the original 1957 design. During the redesign process, it was decided that the deteriorated third tier would be completely rebuilt. The new one will be constructed independently, creating a 360-degree open concourse that, insiders say, will be “the envy of the football world.” The roof will be the final touch to the new Spotify Camp Nou. The club hopes the fully finished stadium will be ready by late 2026 – though even officials quietly admit there could be delays.

A snapshot of the future

At precisely 11:02 a.m., with president Joan Laporta watching from the VIP box, Barça’s first team posed for the inaugural group photo. Under Hansi Flick’s watchful eye, Ferran Torres and Lamine Yamal were the last to appear, joined by injured teammates Pedri and Raphinha, who didn’t want to miss the moment.

“I’m beyond excited – a 20 out of 10,” said social vice president Elena Fort. “We’ve practically made this dream come true. We already have the phase 1A license for 23,000 people, but we won’t come back until the capacity reaches 45,000, once we have the 1B license.” Asked about potential construction delays by Limak and possible penalties, she was cautious: “All contracts include performance guarantees. Once the works are complete, we’ll review the causes of any delay – because a delay doesn’t necessarily mean a breach.”

Perhaps the most striking thing about this pilot day wasn’t what could be seen – the iconic “Més que un Club” slogan, now destined for the new third tier – but what could be imagined. When complete, a 105,000-seat Spotify Camp Nou crowned with a sweeping roof will stand as a modern marvel. For now, though, this Friday belonged to the fans – and to a city celebrating its homecoming.

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