Barcelona's Camp Nou return likely delayed for 'a few more months' as La Liga champions told 'the ball is in their court'

Barcelona’s long-awaited return to the Camp Nou looks set to be pushed back as the City Council has warned that the club will likely have to remain at Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys in Montjuic for “a few more months” as the conditions for reopening their iconic home are not yet met. Despite optimism earlier in the year the required completion certificates for the renovation works have not been submitted, meaning no licence can be granted. For now, Barca fans must remain patient as their team continues life at the Olympic Stadium

Barca had hoped to make a small scale return to Camp Nou for the Joan Gamper Trophy clash against Como earlier this month but that plan had to be scrapped. After being granted their request to play their first three La Liga games away from home, they hoped the upcoming Valencia clash would be their first match back, but they appear to have missed the mark again. They will have to play all of their games in the first phase of the Champions League, including a potential play off, at the same stadium, which may mean the Camp Nou return won't happen until next year.

Albert Batlle, the city's deputy mayor for security, admitted that Barcelona’s return to Camp Nou will not come as soon as expected, confirming more delays are on the horizon. 

"It will probably have to be used for a few more months," the councillor stated in an interview with RAC1.

He pointed out that the club has yet to provide the required paperwork: "The club has not submitted the certificate of completion of works," indicating that, "today, it has not met the conditions to apply for the initial opening license."

He added: "Let's not put pressure on ourselves regarding the deadlines; what we should put pressure on is the conditions for the opening, which must be done with complete safety... It can't happen again, so technical and political responsibilities were clarified. 

"Barca knows what it must do. Then those responsible for the works will have to certify the completion of the works and the city council's inspection teams will have to make their reports, but the ball at this point, and never better said, is in Barca's court, which must comply with the conditions."

For now, the club must finalise and certify the work before the council can even consider opening Camp Nou’s doors. Until then, Montjuic remains the stopgap solution. Whether Barca can meet the conditions in time to move mid-season or whether fans must wait until the latter stages of the campaign is still uncertain.