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Why are Barcelona playing Getafe at Estadi Johan Cruyff and not at Montjuic or Camp Nou today?

Although Barcelona and Getafe meet on Matchday 5 of LaLiga, the real focus is on the venue. Work on Camp Nou has progressed, and Montjuic stadium is reportedly ready, yet the Estadi Johan Cruyff will once again host the Culers' match.

General view inside the Johan Cruyff stadium prior to the LaLiga EA Sports match.
Ā© David Ramos/Getty ImagesGeneral view inside the Johan Cruyff stadium prior to the LaLiga EA Sports match.

Barcelona face Getafe, looking to extend their unbeaten run in LaLiga and chase Real Madrid for the lead. Despite doubts in defense at the start of the 2025-26 season, Hansi Flick’s team has managed to show quite surprising progress. For this reason, it will seek to consolidate its form with a victory. Even with Lamine Yamal absent from Barcelonaā€˜s roster, the focus shifted to the venue of the game, as it was not Camp Nou or Montjuic but once again the Estadi Johan Cruyff.

Even if Barcelona pushed for partial reopening of Camp Nou, permission was denied, forcing the team to seek alternative venues. Unlike the previous game against Valencia, Montjuic Stadium remains free from concert bookings. Nonetheless, it still didn’t receive the necessary approval. Therefore, the Culers will once again turn to the Johan Cruyff Stadium to host their game.

After being denied permission to partially open Camp Nou, Barcelona aim to hold their next home game against Real Sociedad on September 28 again at the Johan Cruyff Stadium, as Montjuic Stadium will host the ā€œPiromusicalā€ event. Meanwhile, Diario Sport reports that the club is actively negotiating to secure an agreement so it can play the October 1 match against Paris Saint Germain at Montjuic.

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Barcelona president Joan Laporta breaks the silence on Camp Nou renovation status

As renovation work began on Camp Nou, Barcelona president Joan Laporta announced plans for a partial reopening by November 2024. However, this timeline has not been met, and ten months have passed without the stadium reopening. In response, Laporta recently addressed the delays and discussed the current status of the renovation efforts.

Barcelona's Fermin Lopez celebrating

Fermin Lopez of FC Barcelona celebrating a goal in Estadi Johan Cruyff.

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ā€œThe stadium is finished and ready to play in. Now we need to continue with the formal and administrative process… We will be returning home soon, but I can’t say exactly when because it depends on the permits we need to obtain from the responsible institutions,ā€ Joan Laporta said, as reported by Diario El Pais. His remarks spotlight Barcelona City Council’s role in the delays concerning administrative approvals.

Where to watch Barcelona vs Getafe live in the USA: La Liga 2025/2026

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Refusing to stay silent, the local City Council—reported by Diario El Pais—asserts that their only objective is to ensure the project adheres to all regulations, with a focus on safety standards. They reveal that certain aspects of the stadium might not yet be fully prepared to host large events, urging caution with any announced return dates.

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Report: Barcelona may not play at Camp Nou in the 2025-26 Champions League after a club decision

Due to significant delays in renovation work, Barcelona have yet to secure approval to play at Camp Nou. According to Diario Sport, the team plans to host its first home game of the 2025-26 UEFA Champions League season at Montjuic Stadium. This move, however, effectively rules out the possibility of staging any Champions League fixtures at Camp Nou for the remainder of the season.

According to UEFA regulations, ā€œFrom the league phase onwards, a club must in principle play all its matches in the competition at one and the same stadium. Furthermore, any change of stadium between the play-offs and the league phase must be agreed in advance with UEFA.ā€ Given this, if FC Barcelona host their match against PSG at Montjuic, they would not be able return to Camp Nou in the Champions League unless the venue becomes unusable due to a force majeure.

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