Barcelona president Joan Laporta has insisted that there is no concern about the issues caused by the heavy rain in Sunday's 3-0 win over Real Oviedo at the Camp Nou.
The Blaugrana reclaimed top spot in La Liga with a commanding second-half display against La Liga's basement side. After being frustrated by Oviedo in the first period, Barcelona upped the ante to establish a two-goal lead within 12 minutes of the restart, before Lamine Yamal capped off the win with an astonishing bicycle kick.
However, it was not all positive for Barcelona as the Camp Nou struggled to contend with the heavy rainfall on Sunday. With the redeveloped stadium still under contract, water gushed through various parts of the Camp Nou, affecting fans and the press section.
One social video showed water falling through openings in the concourse as fans climbed the stairs.
In another video, shared by journalist Alfredo Martinez, the torrential rain was seen battering the press section, forcing journalists to do their best to find cover and leaving equipment unusable.
Laporta unconcerned by Camp Nou leaks
Laporta insisted that the leaks were “normal” as construction work continues and is hopeful that Barcelona will obtain a 1C license soon rather than later, which would allow them to increase their capacity from around 45,000 to the 62,000 mark.
“We all got wet. We knew it could happen, but in the end, the rain accompanied the victory,” Laporta said as per Barca Universal. “It’s as if we witnessed the rain christening of Camp Nou.
“The stadium is under construction and we will make any necessary repairs as we go along. This is normal and will be resolved.
“The stadium is progressing at a good pace and everything is on track. The 1C license was supposed to be ready in early January, but there has been a delay.
“Now we’ll see if we have it for Mallorca, but I’m not giving up yet.”
The league game against Mallorca will take place on February 7, giving the club less than two weeks to obtain the required license if they want to increase their capacity for that fixture.
If they fail to meet that objective, attention will turn to gaining the 1C license in time for the next home clash with Levante on February 22.
FGG says: Not a good look for Barcelona
It can be argued that the leaks are an unfortunate part of the process of welcoming fans to a stadium that is still undergoing work. However, it is certainly not a good look to see rain gushing into parts of the ground where it shouldn't, leaving all those affected frustrated with the experience.
Ultimately, the scenes on Sunday night will only add to the impatience surrounding the pace of the Camp Nou redevelopment.