Barça’s request to UEFA

Next year, the Champions League will enter a new era, with a new format. Gone are the group stages, now there will be a mini-championship with 36 teams. But there will not be 35 games to play for each team, only eight, four at home, four away. The opponents will be given via a draw. While, as stipulated by UEFA regulations, each team must play its four home games in the same stadium, FC Barcelona has made a special request to the European body.

More after this ad

The media Sport reveals that the Catalan club and UEFA are negotiating for Barça’s final matches to be played at the Camp Nou, once the renovation is complete. Barça will start their season at the Olímpic Lluís Companys, with the Camp Nou still under construction, but hope to return to their historic home in early 2025. Except that the schedule for the first phase of the Champions League, which has been unveiled, foresees the first six rounds taking place before the end of the year and the last two to be played on 21-22 January and 29 January. So it is impossible to play the entire first phase at the Camp Nou, but it is possible to hypothetically play two matches. It remains to be seen whether UEFA will accept this request.