Barcelona plan to hold a special “tribute” to Lionel Messi when the renovated Camp Nou re-opens, in honor of his history-defining career.
Camp Nou hasn’t hosted a match since the end of the 2022–23 season due to the stadium’s ongoing redevelopment, but there are hopes that a reduced-capacity version will be ready in time to host this year’s Joan Gamper Trophy on August 10.
Barcelona have already requested that the first three games of the new La Liga campaign be on the road to give even more time to ensure the stadium is ready for the real competition.
Load tests will have to be carried out before the Joan Gamper Trophy match, against Como, and approval will be needed from the City Council to determine the exact capacity. Vice-president Elena Fort has confirmed 60,000 is the target, but also that the club has to “realistic” about the number.
The biggest challenges are “access and security” while building work is ongoing. The target has been openly questioned and, worst case scenario, the mini Estadi Johan Cruyff is available as a backup.
“Leo Messi’s tribute at Camp Nou must take place when the stadium is 100% finished,” Fort told La Vanguardia. “It will definitely happen because he is the best player in Barça’s history.”
Asked about whether next summer’s Joan Gamper Trophy would be played in a finished Camp Nou, Fort confirmed the finishing touches will be still be required.
“I think we’ll be able to say the stadium is finished by the summer of 2026,” Fort said. “Visually, it won’t be 100% finished; the roof will still need to be closed. But everything will be there.”
Messi made a club record 778 appearances for Barcelona between 2004 and 2021, scoring 672 goals during those 17 years, another club record. His exit only happened because Barça’s poor financial health meant a new contract that had been agreed couldn’t be registered.
After two years at Paris Saint-Germain, Messi was offered the chance to rejoin the Catalans, but turned it down due to his lack of trust that the club had the means to follow through with the offer. Barça’s loss was Inter Miami’s gain.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Barcelona Confirm Plans for Lionel Messi Tribute at Renovated Camp Nou.
