February 3 – Having been close to being without a home stadium with their return to Camp Nou delayed and the Olympic Stadium booked for other events, Barcelona have been granted a lifeline and have formally requested an extension to their stay at the Lluis Companys Olympic Stadium until the end of the season.
The club had initially hoped to return to their spiritual home by late 2024, but construction setbacks pushed that target to February 2025. More recent developments suggest even that timeline was optimistic, with March now the earliest possible return—though few would bet the house on it.
This poses a logistical headache for Barcelona, particularly in the Champions League. UEFA regulations require clubs to play all home matches at the same stadium throughout the knockout rounds. With Camp Nou unlikely to be ready in time for the last 16 in early March, the Olympic Stadium would be the default venue. However, Barcelona had not anticipated needing it for so long and conflicting bookings – namely a Rolling Stones concert at the Olympic Stadium on the day of El Clasico (11 May 2025) – had complicated matters.
Fortunately for the club, the concert has since been cancelled to clear the way for Barça to continue at the Montjuïc site if necessary.
The Rolling Stones themselves had a partnership with the Catalan club last season which saw their branding feature on the front of the Barcelona jerseys for a one-off appearance against Real Madrid – an opportunity made available by the club’s partnership with music streaming giant Spotify, who usually occupy the front of the FC Barcelona shirt.
One rumour suggested that, if push came to shove, Barcelona could host Real Madrid in the second Clásico of the season at Wembley.
“FC Barcelona will ask BSM to extend the occupancy and operation of the Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys until 20 May, although the club’s objective of wanting to play matches this season at the Spotify Camp Nou remains,” a club statement read. “The Club has learned that BSM’s reservation of the facility from May for a musical event will most likely not be made effective.
“Therefore, the non-confirmation of an event that the Olympic Ring had reserved opens the possibility that FC Barcelona can play until the last La Liga match at the Olympic Stadium.
“The Club wishes to emphasise that the main objective is to play matches at the end of the season at the Spotify Camp Nou, and efforts will therefore be intensified to achieve this objective.”
Contact the writer of this story, Harry Ewing, at moc.l1738615380labto1738615380ofdlr1738615380owedi1738615380sni@g1738615380niwe.1738615380yrrah1738615380