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Barcelona announced on Monday that they had raised around INR 1 lakh crore for a development plan and that work on the Camp Nou stadium would begin on June 1. Barcelona claimed there was no need for a stadium mortgage and that the club’s assets were not used as a guarantee. The financing was supported by “some of the main prestigious financial entities around the world” and a total of 20 investors.
The club said that the finance was made up of various payments that were to be made gradually over five, seven, nine, twenty, and twenty-four years, “with a flexible structure” and a “grace period.” Once the stadium construction is finished, Barcelona will begin to pay back the operation. The largest stadium in Europe will have a seating capacity increase from 99,300 to 105,000.
“The project is crucial to maintaining FC Barcelona’s leadership in world sport, is a cornerstone of the team’s economic recovery and long-term survival, and serves as a tool to maintain the club’s ownership structure, which is comprised of more than 146,000 club members.” the club said in a statement quoted by Washington Post.
The team is recovering from a financial crisis that resulted in losses of 481 million euros in 2020–21 and the departure of Lionel Messi, the team’s all-time greatest scorer. The club raised almost 750 million euros last summer by selling 49% of its Barca Studios and 25% of its La Liga television rights for the next 25 years.
Due to recent financial difficulties, Barcelona will play its home games at Montjuic’s smaller Llu’s Company’s Olympic Stadium in the upcoming season. The stadium is currently being modified by the club to meet the needs of the team as well as those of domestic and international events.
Meanwhile, a rumour is being aired that with 15 luggage and his family, Lionel Messi has arrived in Barcelona amid renewed speculation of a potential return to Camp Nou. The location of Messi’s football next season is still unknown since his PSG contract is set to expire in June.
