Barcelona fear they will not be able to return to the Camp Nou at all this season after renovation work suffered a major delay.
It was initially hoped that Barcelona would be able to play their final game of the calendar year, Saturday's visit of Atletico Madrid, at their famous home, but plans to return were postponed to February when it became clear that the work would not be completed on time.
However, that time frame is now rated as “unlikely” by Markwho state that delays in the construction of key facilities, including emergency exits, as well as the laying of grass mean that the stadium may not even be close to being functional until the end of March.
WHEREAS Barcelona may choose to end the La Liga season at Camp Nou if all work is completed on time, they will not be able to do so in the Champions League due to UEFA rules which state that a club's matches beyond the league stage must all be played in the same home stadium.
Play-off round for Champions League is scheduled for mid-February and, if Barcelona are to appear in this round, the Camp Nou would not be ready. Even if they qualify directly for the knockout stages, which will begin in early March, it is highly unlikely that Camp Nou will be ready to host such a match.
The dilemma is compounded for Barcelona as their temporary home, the Lluis Companys Olympic Stadium, is currently unavailable for Champions League matches in the later stages of the competition due to pre-existing agreements with the City Council. With UEFA requiring all home matches to be played in the same stadium, Barcelona may have to find another stadium to host their European matches.
Club officials are speaking to local authorities to try and extend their deal, but they are also looking elsewhere for possible solutions. Early suggestions have been to try using Valencia's Mestalla stadium or Atletico MadridRiyadh Air Metropolitano.