Barcelona sets new date for Camp Nou return as club chief defends Limak decision

Barcelona have set a new date for their expected return to the renovated Spotify Camp Nou, according to Spanish news outlet Mundo Deportivo.

Barca’s director of operations, Joan Sentelles, has confirmed that the club expects to receive the First Occupancy License for Camp Nou later this week.

Sentelles also shed light on the complicated process that went into choosing Limak Construction to lead the stadium’s renovation.

Plenty of eyebrows were raised when Barca decided to award the stadium contract to Limak.

The company initially received the lowest technical score compared to Spanish competitors, Fomento de Construcciones y Contratas (FCC) and Ferrovial. Limak’s construction plan was unconvincing. 

They also needed around €200 million for the first months of construction, while its competitors were only asking for around €12m to get started.

However, Sentelles quickly nipped those rumours in the bud, explaining that the technical reports were ‘advisory and non-binding’. 

Sentelles claimed Barcelone ultimately decided to stick with Limak after conducting a broader review process that involved internal and external compliance checks.

“The technical reports gave their opinion, but there wasn’t just one,” Sentelles said. “The construction management and project manager also issued theirs, and decisions were made hierarchically. 

“All the information was shared with the various stakeholders, and the decision was made. The Limak project met the requirements demanded by the investors.”

Sentelles also made it clear that ‘there was a report that disqualified Limak for not speaking Spanish or for not knowing Spanish laws, and that is not a valid criterion’.

Despite being almost a year behind schedule on the planned return to Camp Nou, which was initially set for November 2024, Sentelles maintained that ‘Limak was the cheapest’ option for Barca.

The club chief went on to suggest that the stadium could finally reopen in mid-November, with the club already launching season ticket sales.

“If all goes well, by mid-November, we will be able to reopen the stadium if it is in our hands and I am sure that the city council’s as well,” Sentelles added.