Barcelona Unveils Joan Gamper Trophy Showdown Details
Barcelona supporters will experience a nostalgic journey next month as Como 1907 visits Catalonia, bringing several recognizable figures to compete for the traditional Joan Gamper Trophy.
The ambitious Serie A club is managed by former Barcelona youth product Cesc Fàbregas and features ex-Blaugrana captain Sergi Roberto among their central midfield players. These two Catalan natives accumulated 524 combined first-team appearances for Barcelona—with 22 of those matches played together.
However, their homecoming will not take place at Camp Nou. Despite confident announcements suggesting otherwise, Barcelona's iconic venue remains unable to host the prestigious preseason encounter.
Instead of returning to the controversial Olympic Stadium in Montjuïc—a venue that has never gained true acceptance despite recent domestic achievements—Como will face Hansi Flick's squad at the Estadi Johan Cruyff, the regular venue for the women's team.
Complete Joan Gamper Trophy Information
The timeline for Barcelona's return to Camp Nou remains uncertain. They are unlikely to schedule additional matches at the Estadi Johan Cruyff due to its limited 6,000-seat capacity, forcing them to continue using Montjuïc, which accommodates fewer than 50,000 spectators—roughly half of Camp Nou's maximum capacity.
UEFA requirements mandate that all home matches during the Champions League league phase must occur at the same stadium, giving Barcelona until Sep. 16 to resolve the Camp Nou situation. If unresolved, they will remain committed to the Olympic Stadium for all European home matches through late January.
Following custom, Barcelona's preseason campaign ends with the Gamper Trophy. Honoring the club's Swiss founder, this marks the 60th installment of the prestigious match that features Barcelona against various opponents. As the host team, the Catalans have typically prevailed, securing victory in 46 of the past 59 editions, though they suffered a crushing 3–0 defeat to Monaco last season.