Barcelona are evaluating the options of bringing their Champions League knockout matches to different stadiums. The Blaugrana had planned to be back at Camp Nou but their renovation work is well behind schedule.
Planning to return to the Spotify Camp Nou, Barcelona City Council has organized events at the Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys later this year. It means that if Barcelona reach the final stages of the Champions League knockouts, Montjuic will be unavailable, forcing Barcelona to consider other locations, according to Marca. As UEFA does not allow clubs to change stages during the knockout or league stages, they will have to stick to whichever ground they choose.
The most obvious alternative is the RCDE Stadium, owned by rivals Espanyol, and located in Cornella, the closest option to the city center. The 40,000 seater meets all UEFA requirements, but there are those within Barcelona's hierarchy who do not want to play a role on Espanyol's ground.
Their other options are Mestalla in Valencia and the Metropolitano in Madrid. The latter is the largest, with 70,000 fans, and has the best facilities, but the distance to Barcelona is a problem. It is almost twice as far away as Valencia, where Mestalla could accommodate them.
Comments