Barcelona’s long-awaited return to their iconic home has come at a significant financial cost, with fresh reports revealing the true scale of their overspending of the revamped Spotify Camp Nou.
How much have Barcelona spent on the Camp Nou redevelopment?
According to reports from Spain, Barcelona have already exceeded the €960 million (£840m) budget initially agreed with construction firm Limak for the stadium redevelopment.
The final cost is now expected to land between €200 million (£175m) and €300 million (£262m) higher than planned, pushing the overall spend well beyond the original projections.
While the LaLiga leaders have been back playing home matches at the stadium since late November, the return has come a year later than scheduled and at reduced capacity.
Large sections remain unfinished, including the third tier, VIP areas and the stadium roof, meaning the club is still unable to fully maximise matchday income.
To cover the additional costs, Barcelona are set to draw on contingency funds and part of their €1.5 billion (£1.3bn) financing package secured through Goldman Sachs.
FGG says: Barcelona will want full Camp Nou capacity sooner rather than later
A new inspection is due to take place this week, with approval of phase 1C potentially allowing capacity to rise to around 62,000 spectators if given the green light, and that would come as a substantial boost to the Spanish giants.
With costs at an all-time high, Barcelona need the Camp Nou to be fully operational. Every empty seat and vacant space is lost revenue, money that could help the club begin to pay off the substantial fees involved.
For the Spanish club, the sooner this ambitious renovation is complete, the better.