MARCUS RASHFORD’S first game at the Nou Camp for Barcelona could be delayed after an inspection found “more than 200 deficiencies”.
Forward Rashford, 27, joined on loan from Man Utd with Barca already set to play their first three LaLiga games away from home, starting at Mallorca on Saturday.
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But time is now running out to complete what has been dubbed “Phase One” of renovation work and receive the necessary licenses by the weekend of September 14 when Valencia visit.
Work to expand the stadium’s capacity to 105,000 started in 2023 and Barca planned to play Sunday’s friendly against Como – in which Rashford missed an open goal – at the Nou Camp.
But the game was switched to the tiny Johan Cruyff Stadium, which holds just 6,000 punters and is the usual venue for women’s and reserve teams’ matches.
The plan was to have the Nou Camp open with 60,000 seats available at first, but Barca have had to lower expectations with it set to open to 27,000 instead.
It won’t host 105,000 until the third tier is completed.
Alternative plans in case the return again has to be delayed would likely see Barca return to the Olympic stadium for a third season.
President Joan Laporta and the board have based budgets on a Nou Camp return and need the first home game of the Champions League to be there because stadiums can’t be switched until the knockout phase.
The club have already asked Uefa to play their first group game away from home, with the second matchday scheduled for September 30/October 1.
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Barcelona are facing more problems and one of them involve Rashford.
The forward is facing the prospect of being one of seven Barcelona players banned from playing in LaLiga.
As has been the case throughout the last few years, the Blaugrana find themselves scrambling around in order to navigate LaLiga financial rules and register all their players.
And this summer is no different, with the England international in danger of being one of the stars to miss out.
