Today’s Barcelona second leg against Atlético in the Copa del Rey is not only a battle for the final, but also the return of organised support. After months of conflict, fan groups will once again fill the stands, testing a project of a new fan culture in Catalonia.

Return in the shadow of conflict

The decision to restore the supporting sector (Grada de Animación) was made after intensive negotiations between the club and the local police, Mossos d'Esquadra. Let us recall that these groups were excluded at the end of 2025 as a result of disciplinary incidents. A point of contention was also the amount of 21 thousand euros – the equivalent of the fines the club had to pay for the behaviour of the fans.

Although the financial dispute has not been fully resolved, both sides reached an agreement that allows 750 members of groups such as Penya Almogàvers, Nostra Ensenya, Front 532 and Supporters Barça to take their seats today in the lower corner of the stadium, between the Gol Sud and Lateral sectors.

© FC Barcelona | The pride of Catalonia must overcome a four-goal deficit to think about reaching the Copa del Rey final.

“Two lungs” of Barcelona – Jordi Sant’s ambitious vision

While the club prepares for today’s clash, a debate about the future of support is taking place behind the scenes. The project of Jordi Sant, co-founder of the Almogàvers group and the legendary creator of mosaics at Camp Nou, resonates the most loudly.

Sant, who has been shaping fan culture in Barcelona for decades, proposes moving away from a modest, one-sided sector in favour of a powerful two lungs structure.

Key assumptions of Sant’s project:

• Two support stands: Instead of concentrating the support only on the southern side (Gol Sud), the project assumes the creation of two groups – Clam Nord and Clam Sud.
• Scale: Ultimately, between 6,000 and 7,500 fans would be involved in organised support.
• Authenticity: Sant rejects an artificial, controlled American model. His vision is a spontaneous, Mediterranean temperament, integrated with a professional visual display.
• New structure within the club: The proposal includes the creation of a special department within Barça’s structure, which would be responsible for activating fans under the slogan Tots Units Fem Força and organising away trips.

© Jörg Pochert| Before the renovation began in 2022, the capacity of Camp Nou was 99,354, making it the largest stadium in Europe.

Elections on the horizon

Today’s return of 750 fans for the match against Atlético is treated as a testing ground ahead of the upcoming presidential elections at the club. Most candidates present their own visions of Grada 1957 (the new supporting stand), however Sant’s proposal is considered the most comprehensive and professional.

For years I have been trying to transform this passion into a professional structural model. Without recognising support as a strategic value of the club, it is difficult to build something lasting, emphasises Jordi Sant in an interview with AS. Will today’s support carry Hansi Flick’s players to qualification?