“They have changed this stadium for me,” Xavi said after returning to the Camp Nou, this time on the bench. Five years and five months had passed since he said goodbye as a player. During his time in Qatar, when he was being trained, the creation of the animation space –from the 16-17 season– made the Blaugrana fans more proactive since before it was the team that cheered on the stands, which positively surprised the now technical.
It happens that this season the change is literal and not figurative. Of location and not of spirit. Barcelona changes house while the Spotify Camp Nou is under construction. It goes from Les Corts to Montjuïc. And in the move, Xavi’s team risks losing its 12th player.
Barcelona fans had gone from being a gourmet audience specializing in magical nights, especially in Europe, to becoming an almost unconditional supporter on a day-to-day basis. That level of involvement and communion between the stands and the pitch rescued the blaugrana in more than one game, as in the last victories against Osasuna and in the classic against Real Madrid, two basic duels for the achievement of the League title . Only Real Sociedad, with Barça already celebrating with the title in their pocket, was able to take the three points in the championship.
For this reason, Xavi insists on claiming similar support to feel at home. “Last year he helped us a lot to win the League. Now we are starting a new stage but we want you to continue to encourage us. We will need the culés to come to the Estadi Olímpic”.
In the first match of the 22-23 League, 81,104 fans attended the match against Rayo. The figure remained high in the following matches although the rivals were not from the upper part either: Valladolid, Elche and Celta. In the end, the Camp Nou Spotify finished the course with an average of 83,498 viewers. A number that, not even because of the capacity of the Olympic Stadium, will be impossible to maintain. The capacity of Montjuïc for Barça matches is 49,472 seats.
The Gamper (Tuesday 8) acted as a dress rehearsal and 35,224 spectators watched the blaugrana win against Tottenham. With the exception that the presentation trophy is not included in the subscription and all attendees had to go through the box office.
For this afternoon (7:30 p.m.) the club has 17,012 subscribers – who in their day did not exhaust the quota of 26,000 provided for them; the rest have taken a temporary leave of absence – but they had to activate their card if they wanted to use their seat. The club has not provided the number of subscribers who have confirmed their attendance. The rest of the locations have been put up for sale.
The people of Barça are still taking the measurements of the magical mountain, with their watch in hand, timing the time it takes to go up (and down), from the Venetian towers, from the carrer del Foc car park or from the funicular of the Parallel. Added to this is the fact that the first official match of this new stage at Lluís Companys still comes in August, the month in which the member is historically still on vacation. Cádiz hopes to take advantage of this small identity crisis. While the blaugrana look for their first win after a 0-0 draw at Getafe.
Barcelona and Xavi know that if they are able to win and show an attractive game, if the youngsters and the signings connect, if they ensure a show like in the great concerts that have their stage in Montjuïc, they will be able to attract the fans and for people to see that the tour is worth it. And so everyone will feel at home.
