The countdown to Barcelona’s return to Spotify Camp Nou has officially begun. The club has set February as the target date, a plan confirmed by Barcelona City Council. On November 18, another meeting took place with representatives of the Les Corts neighborhood.

Kicking things off against Rayo?

The date shared by vice president Elena Fort at the last Assembly—February—is the same one we have. Nothing has changed, explained David Escudé, the sports councillor, during an interview with RAC1. However, no specific date has been finalized.

Shortening the timeline was impossible since Barcelona has already put Champions League tickets on sale for the January 29 game against Atalanta, scheduled to take place at Montjuïc. Next, Barça will play additional league matches at Montjuïc against Valencia and Alavés, scheduled for January 25–26 and February 1–2, respectively. The earliest opportunity to return to Spotify Camp Nou seems to be the weekend of February 15–16, in a match against Rayo Vallecano.

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Neighborhood residents satisfied with police response

Monday’s meeting with residents addressed three key issues, starting with ongoing works at Camp Nou. Local associations emphasized a single demand: that construction workers must stop operating after 8:00 PM. While residents remain firm in their stance, they have expressed gratitude to the police for ramping up oversight following mounting complaints about noise and excessive lighting in the area.

Noise complaints have focused particularly on the cement plant located at the Miniestadi site. Residents claim it starts operating too early, around 7:15 AM. Video evidence has already been submitted to the police, who have promised to resolve the issue. Things are going much better now, said neighborhood representatives. The same associations have also agreed to allow the club to carry out crane maintenance work on five consecutive Saturdays.

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New concerns, but Barça reassures residents

As work progresses, Les Corts residents remain uneasy about future challenges. Many are keeping a wary eye on Santiago Bernabéu’s redevelopment as an example of what they fear could happen. Barcelona, however, has assured that they will not follow Real Madrid’s footsteps. At the moment, only one or two concerts are planned for the off-season, during the pitch replacement period. According to the club, such events are manageable and will help offset costs while generating additional revenue.

Traffic congestion is another issue weighing on residents’ minds. While city authorities aim to reduce car usage and discourage parking on sidewalks, the return to Camp Nou could derail these efforts. With more than 3,000 parking spaces available on site, cars will inevitably flood the area before and after matches. Residents are happy to see some of their proposals being accepted, but many remain unaddressed. Traffic jams are something we’ll always have to deal with, local representatives admitted.