Barcelona Chief Finally Speaks Out on Camp Nou Return Delays, Calls Situation 'Challenging'

Barcelona's vice-president Elena Fort has issued an apology to supporters regarding the postponement of the club's planned return to Camp Nou.

Following their public announcement to stage the Joan Gamper Trophy on August 10, Barcelona encountered obstacles preventing them from holding matches at the venue in its present condition after local authorities withheld necessary approvals.

"Despite our stated intentions, we have come to an understanding with the municipal government to delay our comeback to the Spotify Camp Nou stadium, which was originally planned for August 10 during the Joan Gamper Trophy," Fort explained to Barça One.

"The cause stems from our inability to fully meet municipal guidelines concerning work execution and their timelines, along with inadequate time to finalize all required procedures and processes."

Fort proceeded to challenge the decision, maintaining that the rules used to evaluate Camp Nou weren't originally intended for projects of this nature.

"The magnitude of finished construction and ongoing work creates difficulties when attempting to align with a strict reading and implementation of municipal guidelines and codes while seeking the initial occupancy authorization," Fort added.

"It's important to recognize that these codes were mainly created for conventional structures that are built, finished, and then subjected to required inspections before becoming operational.

"Nevertheless, we're managing an exceptional construction undertaking, carried out continuously and evolving daily; it represents a dynamic project, which explains why conforming to current regulations has proven difficult."

The timeline for Barcelona's return to Camp Nou remains uncertain. A delayed comeback presents several challenges, particularly the UEFA regulation requiring all Champions League league phase fixtures to occur at the same home venue. Should Barcelona fail to return to Camp Nou before the competition begins, the renovated stadium wouldn't be eligible to host European matches until the knockout rounds.

Fort wrapped up by stating: "We are presently collaborating with municipal authorities and all concerned parties to achieve this compliance and secure the initial occupancy authorization as swiftly as possible."