FC Barcelona and other teams will soon learn their eight games in the new Champions League season. The Champions League draw will take place next week, and Barcelona will be hoping to host games at the Spotify Camp Nou.
The newly renovated stadium is expected to be ready for the team to play in next month, but new delays have caused concern and doubts about whether Barcelona will play there.
FC Barcelona reportedly is preparing to play at the Lluís Companys Olympic Stadium in case Barcelona is not allowed to play in the Camp Nou.
Barcelona’s first home game of the new season is against Valencia on September 14 in La Liga, and the start of the new Champions League season, with the first matchday, is expected to start on September 16 to 18. The draw randomly draws teams’ opponents, but the schedule is organized by UEFA.
Barcelona is concerned that the Camp Nou will not be ready to host games in La Liga and in the Champions League. The club wants more time in order to get the stadium ready. Reports in Spain suggested that Barcelona requested UEFA to have their first game in the Champions League to be an away game rather than a home game.
UEFA Willing to Accept Barcelona’s Request
According to TV3 and Tot Costa, UEFA has allowed Barcelona to play their first Champions League match away from home. This would allow Barcelona to decide whether they continue to work fast in playing home games at the Camp Nou with a limited number of fans or return to the Lluís Companys Olympic Stadium until January or February.
In Barcelona, UEFA officials have been at the Spotify Camp Nou to inspect the stadium’s conditions. The officials have reportedly been at the stadium for more than four hours.
In terms of Barcelona’s first home game of the season against Valencia, there are talks that Barcelona may not play at the Camp Nou with no fans. La Vanguardia reports that an option for Barcelona may be playing at Girona’s stadium against Valencia.
Girona’s stadium, Estadi Montilivi, was used last season in the Champions League as Girona made their debut in the league phase.
