Barcelona are reportedly set to face delays in the opening of sections at their iconic Camp Nou home ground.
Hansi Flick's side saw a nine-game winning run come to a frustrating end on the weekend, when they lost 2-1 at the base of Real Sociedad.
The Catalan giants equalised momentarily in the contest via the feet of Manchester United loanee Marcus Rashford, however his strike was not enough for any points.
As a result, Barca are recovering from their first defeat of 2026 but remain top of the La Liga standings, one point ahead of second-placed Real Madrid, who are searching for a permanent manager.
Flick's troops return to the Champions League stage for the first time in the new calendar year with a jaunt to Slavia Prague on Wednesday night.
Barca are next back at their Camp Nou home on January 25, when newly-promoted Real Oviedo will pay a historic trip to the venue.
Barcelona awaiting double Camp Nou permission
According to Spanish outlet SPORT, Barcelona have been delayed in their pursuit of re-opening extra areas of their home ground.
The Catalan side currently hold their Phase 1B license, meaning that they are allowed to accommodate 45,000 supporters at Camp Nou.
Barca are pushing towards Phase 1C, which would see the use of the first and second tiers in the North Stand, bringing the capacity close to 60,000.
However, there has supposedly been a delay in receiving the permit, with the expected date now sitting towards the end of February.
There are also plans to open a section for passionate and noisy supporters behind the goal in the South Stand, with that plan going ahead after the installation of Phase 1C next month.
Where is Camp Nou heading?
Barcelona spent two seasons away from their legendary home, with the end goal to make Camp Nou the best football stadium in the world game.
The Spanish giants are undergoing a major renovation of their home ground, which will eventually be able to hold over 100,000 supporters.
Supporters returned to Camp Nou for the first time in over two years in November 2025, when Barca secured a 4-0 success over Athletic Bilbao in La Liga.
FGG says: Slow and steady
Due to the size of Camp Nou and Barcelona as a club, there were always going to be complex issues when re-opening sections of the ground.
It is positive to see that the club are working as much as possible with the local authorities to ensure the safety of supporters.