Barcelona president Joan Laporta has addressed concerns about whether the club will need to return to the Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys.
The Blaugrana spent over two years playing at Montjuic to allow redevelopment work to take place at their Spotify Camp Nou home. Barcelona finally returned to Camp Nou in November, opening with a reduced capacity of just over 45,041 seats.
Work is continuing on the stadium, with the current aim of obtaining the 1C license required to increase the capacity to 62,000 fans. Once that is achieved, Barcelona will work towards reaching the full 105,000 capacity, although that is unlikely to take place until 2027.
There has been some concern that Hansi Flick's side will need to return to the Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys to allow for the installation of the roof at the Camp Nou.
Laporta addresses Montjuic return speculation
“It requires four months of inactivity in the stadium, and I think it can be finished by the end of 2027,” Laporta said as relayed by Barca Universal.
“But it’s not just the stadium: it’s the campus, the surrounding area, the modifications that need to be made. We have to start now.
“We don’t plan to return to Montjuic because it can be arranged in conjunction with the La Liga and Champions League schedules, if we qualify. I think it can be coordinated well.”
Laporta made his remarks as part of the final interview of his latest presidential term. The move is a requirement so Laporta can stand for reelection.
Club members will choose the next president in next month's elections, with Laporta hoping to earn a third term as Barcelona chief.
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After spending so long away from Camp Nou, Barcelona fans will be reluctant to leave their iconic home again, even if it is only for a few months.
So Laporta's comments will be well received by the Barcelona fanbase, although they should treat them with a hint of caution. That is because the club will need to find a solution with La Liga and UEFA, which would surely involve moving games to create a block of away matches so the roof installation can take place.
There is a possibility that moving games around could result in backlash from other teams in Spain's top-flight. That said, such a scenario took place at the start of the current campaign, where Barcelona played three consecutive away games to allow work to continue at Camp Nou. The goal was to return to the stadium earlier than their eventual return date of November 22.