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Barcelona to relocate to new stadium while Camp Nou is developed

Published 14:36 22 Jun 2022 BST

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Barcelona will play at the city's Olympic Stadium for one season.

FC Barcelona will play their home games at the city's Olympic Stadium during the 2023-24 season while the famous Camp Nou undergoes redevelopment. The 'Espai Barça' project will see Camp Nou fully redeveloped, as well as the surrounding areas outside the stadium. The work has been described by club president Joan Laporta as being "vital for the club’s viability."

In a statement, Laporta said: "Barcelona will have the privilege to play at the Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys in the 2023-24 season during the recently approved Espai Barca work. "Work begins on the first and second levels this summer and when major work is done on the third level and roof, we’ll play here." https://twitter.com/FCBarcelona/status/1539241643483795458

What work is being done to the Camp Nou?

Barcelona will continue to play at Camp Nou next season before temporarily departing the year after. The planned renovation includes extending the capacity of the stadium from 99,000 to 110,000 which will make it the third-largest football stadium in the world. The Catalan giants also want the roof of the stadium to be upgraded by installing a district heat and cooling system which will improve the club's sustainability.

Their home for the 2023-24 campaign, the Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys, has a capacity of 60,713 and was the home of the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona. It was also the former home stadium of Barça's city rivals Espanyol before they relocated in 2009. This will be the second time a club in Spain has temporarily played their home games elsewhere. Real Madrid did the same during the 2020-21 season - playing at their reserve stadium, Estadio Alfredo Di Stefano - while work on the Santiago Bernabeu took place. Related links:

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