Although the media has long suggested that Barcelona could struggle to inaugurate Camp Nou even in March 2025, Joan Laporta still stands by his stance. A date has been announced which the former club president considered ridiculous. More worrying, however, is that there is likely to have been an exploitation of eastern European workers.

2024 after all?

As late as the end of May, news was still coming out of the construction of the new Camp Nou that it was uncertain whether the work would be completed by March 2025. Completion dates change daily and now a new one has emerged. According to fcbarcelonanoticias, who confirmed the information, a return to Camp Nou is planned just before Christmas.

December 22, 2024 Barcelona could return to their stadium and play a match against Atletico Madrid during the 18th round of La Liga, just before the Christmas break. This would confirm the words of Laporta, who had previously announced that the return would take place at the end of the year. Is this just wishful thinking or concrete plans? A former Barcelona board member thinks it's an unfunny joke.

© Espai Héctor

Gabriel Masfurroll: "Barça will not be back at Camp Nou for Christmas"

Gabriel Masfurroll, former vice-president of FC Barcelona during the presidency of Josep Lluís Núñez and Joan Gaspart, has expressed serious concerns about the current state of the Espai Barça project. During a debate organised by the Arquitectes x l'Arquitectura association, Masfurroll cast doubt on Joan Laporta's optimistic predictions of a return to Camp Nou later this December.

Joan Laporta has repeatedly declared that FC Barcelona plans to return to the Camp Nou in December 2024. However, Masfurroll is sceptical of these announcements, citing information from suppliers working for Limak Construction, the main contractor for the project. According to him, this deadline is unrealistic, given the delays and changes in the work schedule. In addition, restrictions imposed by the Les Corts residents' association on working hours are significantly hampering the plans.

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Criticism, criticism and more criticism

Masfurroll commented sharply on the current state of the Espai Barça project, describing it as a bad imitation of the original. In his view, the many changes made in recent years, including the change to cheaper materials, have negatively affected the quality and consistency of the design. In particular, he highlighted that the original design, which was approved, had been significantly modified without the input of the original architects and engineers.

Another issue of concern is the role of the architect responsible for the Camp Nou upgrade. Fedde Huistra, the project's chief architect, is not widely known or recognised in the community, which, according to Masfurroll, is a major problem. In his opinion, Huistra's lack of experience and recognition could negatively affect the final outcome of the work.

Masfurroll also criticised Joan Laporta's management of the club, pointing to FC Barcelona's serious financial and organisational problems. He pointed out that the club's problems go deeper than just sporting results, with the main problem being poor financial management and governance, which could lead to further difficulties.

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Qatar 2.0? Exploiting the workers' difficult situation for their own benefit

According to El Periódico, three Spanish journalists, Elisenda Colell, Gabriel Ubieto and Manu Mitru, published the story of several Romanian workers who came to Spain in search of work and were cheated.

The Generalitat de Catalunya has launched an investigation into a number of abuses at the Camp Nou construction site, where people worked without contracts and for unpaid or underpaid wages. These workers, employed by Romanian company Eurobau SRL, were subcontractors of Limak, the main contractor for the project.

Budeanu Ionel and his colleagues, Cobzaru Marín and Adrian Tinica, worked on the stadium construction site for a two-week period without contracts and without pay. After a complaint was lodged with the Inspección de Trabajo (Labour Inspectorate), it was discovered that many of the workers were not reported to the social security system and that salaries were often illegal. Similar cases had been detected before, resulting in sanctions for numerous subcontractors.

The bricklayers worked 10 hours a day, six days a week, living in a hotel in Calella, commuting two hours each way to the construction site each day. Recruited in Romania, they were lured by the promise of high pay and paid accommodation, but the reality turned out to be quite different. Many did not receive the promised money and were threatened or dismissed if they tried to assert their rights.

© Espai Héctor

They lie to us, they take advantage of us because we are Romanians, because we don't know the local law.... We work like slaves so that others can make money from the construction site - concluded the workers bitterly.

On April 11, 60 Romanian workers refused to work until they were paid. At that time, there were also arrests for identity theft. The newspaper tried to contact Eurobau SRL to get their version of events, but without success.