“For 900 days, our heart beat on a mountain. Today, it returns to its chest. Barcelona is back at the Spotify Camp Nou.”
It has been 915 days since the final whistle blew on the “old” Camp Nou. Since then, Culers have made the pilgrimage up the Magic Mountain of Montjuïc, braving the cold winds and the distance of the Olympic Stadium. It was a necessary shelter, a temporary home that hosted La Liga titles and Champions League nights, but it never quite had the acoustics of our cathedral.
The Exile is Over
When Hansi Flick’s squad steps onto the pitch at 4:15 PM today, they will not only face Athletic Club but they will be re-christening the most iconic stadium in world football.
The renovation is a huge undertaking-a reconstruction of the Catalan soul. Though the cranes still loom over the upper tiers and the capacity is currently capped at about 45,000 spectators-roughly 60% of the eventual 105,000-the noise will be different today. The verticality of the Camp Nou stands, even partially open, traps sound in a way the open bowl of Montjuïc never could.
A Rivalry as Old as Time-New Edition
It is fitting that Athletic Club are the guests for this housewarming. As two of only three clubs in La Liga history never to have been relegated,
Barça and Athletic share a deep, historic bond.The Stakes:
Barça is sitting high in the table,
but it’s the physical, high-pressing intensity of Athletic’s “Lions” that will test the new turf immediately.
Atmosphere: Expect a cauldron. With the stands closer to the pitch than at the Olympic Stadium, the pressure on the visitors will be suffocating.
The Festivities: It has organized a show with performances by
The Tyets and a pyrotechnic display in time with a live version of Cant del Barça.
#Barcelona Back at Spotify Camp Nou vs Athletic Club #Spotify Camp Nou #Barcelona
