On September 14, the match between Barcelona and Valencia for Matchday 4 of LaLiga EA Sports could take place in an unprecedented setting. The league organizers have approved the Johan Cruyff Stadium as an alternative venue to the Spotify Camp Nou, which is currently undergoing renovations and does not have authorization to host official matches.

The venue, located in the Joan Gamper Sports City and with a capacity of 6,000 spectators, has already been inspected by LaLiga officials, who determined that it meets the conditions, although it requires technical adjustments.

Conditions for Johan Cruyff Stadium to host LaLiga

According to sources close to the process, the Catalan club must install cameras for VAR use and ensure a fiber-optic connection that allows the technology to function properly. Once these modifications are completed, LaLiga will re-inspect the facilities to give its final approval.

Although regulations establish a minimum capacity of 8,000 for official matches, the Spanish league will make an exception in this case, understanding that the Camp Nou renovations constitute a force majeure situation.

The Barcelona Women’s team will also play their league match at the Johan Cruyff Stadium that same weekend, but on Friday at 12:00 CET—more than 48 hours before the men’s first-team match against Valencia—so there will be no conflict regarding the stadium’s availability.

Camp Nou and Olympic Stadium on hold

Meanwhile, the Barcelona board continues working on the partial reopening of the Spotify Camp Nou, which in this remodeling phase could host around 27,000 fans. However, it still does not have the necessary permits to reopen the venue.

The other option, the Lluís Companys Olympic Stadium, is also unavailable for that date, as singer Post Malone will perform there on September 12, leaving the pitch unfit to host a LaLiga match just two days later.

Given these circumstances, everything points to the Barcelona-Valencia match ultimately being played at the Johan Cruyff Stadium, a much smaller venue but one that could serve as a temporary solution while issues with the other stadiums are resolved.