CHAMPIONS LEAGUE
Why are Barcelona worried about Napoli fans taking over Montjuïc for the Champions League game?
In 2022, Eintracht Frankfurt supporters outnumbered their Barça counterparts at Camp Nou. Club bosses are concerned it could happen again at Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys.
14 April 2022 wasn’t the best day in Barcelona’s history, for different reasons. The La Blaugrana were eliminated from the Europa League by Eintracht Frankfurt, who won 3-2 in Catalonia in the second leg of the quarter-finals. But perhaps even worse was that almost 40,000 fans of the German club were in attendance and took over Camp Nou, with Barça doing nothing to monitor who was buying tickets in different parts of the stadium.
How many Napoli fans will attend the Champions League game in Barcelona?
Now back in the Champions League, bosses of the LaLiga club are worried about something similar happening in the second leg of the round of 16 tie against Napoli. With Camp Nou under redevelopment and fans seemingly not enamoured by watching their team play at Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys in Montjuïc, supporters of the Italian club could take advantage.
Barcelona - Napoli: Follow the live action here!
The facts look ominous for Barcelona. Napoli quickly sold out their official UEFA allocation of 2,600 tickets, but more are expected in Montjuïc. Supporters groups of the Serie A club claim around 4,000 fans have travelled to Spain without a ticket, with most looking to find one on the day of the game, most likely in the home section of the ground.
On top of that, there is a huge Neapolitan community in the Catalan capital. According to local data, around 17,000 Neapolitans live in Barcelona; we can assume a significant number will also be hoping to be at the game.
How many season ticket holders do Barcelona have in Montjuïc? What is the capacity?
With only 17,000 Barcelona fans having season tickets at Estadi Olímpic de Lluís Companys, which has a capacity of just under 56,000, and a large number of tourists and people passing through the city frequently making up the rest of those in attendance, it wouldn’t be a huge surprise to see an Italian “takeover” in the Champions League.
In his post-match press conference after the first leg at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona in Naples, Barça head coach Xavi Hernández lamented the fact the return game wouldn’t be played at Camp Nou.
“In matches like the one we’re going to have to play against Napoli, I really miss Camp Nou. I know that the people of Montjuïc will fantastic, as always, but any opposition team gets intimidated by a full Camp Nou.” If Napoli fans do indeed infiltrate the home end, will it be Barcelona who are imtimidated?