La Liga plan shock Barcelona fixture change after fresh Camp Nou delay

Feargal Brennan

La Liga plan shock Barcelona fixture change after fresh Camp Nou delay image

La Liga are working with Barcelona to reach a compromise over when Hansi Flick's team can return to their iconic Camp Nou home.

The Spanish top-flight will return for the 2025/26 season across the weekend of August 17-18 following an update by La Liga.

Despite the ongoing pressure placed on the fixture calendar by the FIFA Club World Cup this summer, La Liga president Javier Tebas will not be making an changes to the first weekend.

Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid had reportedly requested starting a week later - to protect against overload if they go deep in the Club World Cup - but Tebas confirmed that will not happen.

As part of a separate request from Barcelona, La Liga are considering plans to allow Flick's team to play their first three or four games away from home, to allow the Camp Nou renovation to finally be completed.

Flick's charges won a La Liga, Copa del Rey and Spanish Supercup treble last season - all based out of their temporary Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys home.

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When are Barcelona returning to the Camp Nou?

2024/25 was the second season Barcelona played away from the Camp Nou and despite previous promises to return at the start of 2025 - successive targets were missed.

The project has suffered a string of setbacks and delays within the final construction phase but the club are confident of being completely operational by September.

As per reports from Marca, Tebas and La Liga are open to letting Barcelona kick off their title defence with a few away games, to help speed up the process.

Hansi Flick of Barcelona

"If [the stadium] is ready, we'll have to ask the engineers, architects and Barcelona. We've received the request," he said.

"I don't know if it's for three or four matchdays, but we're considering it, it's normal for these requests to be accepted.

"[Could be extended?] That's more complicated because it depends on other clubs and the schedule would be changed significantly.

"If the stadium isn't there [after four games], we'll look at the situation again, and they'll have to find another one to play in."

Tebas' comments offer Barcelona some breathing space on the situation and keeps their current plans on track.

Barcelona are planning a pilot test with the public in mid-July, to evaluate access points ahead of the Joan Gamper Trophy, which is played on August 9 or 10, as the first match to be hosted at the new stadium.

The wider target for a competitive return is after the September international break and potentially the first round of UEFA Champions League games.

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Feargal Brennan

Feargal is a content producer for The Sporting News. He has been working with TSN since the start of 2022 after stints with Reach, Amazon UK and Squawka in a nomadic career in the football media pyramid. Always with a keen eye on Arteta's 'Reds' and Kenny's Ireland 'Greens' and a 100% five-a-side penalty record.