BARCELONA: After three weeks on the road to start the La Liga season champions Barcelona play their first home match on Sunday, although it won't be the glorious return to the rebuilt Spotify Camp Nou they had hoped for.
The Catalan giants will host Valencia at their 6,000-capacity Johan Cruyff training ground stadium as they bid to keep pace with leaders Real Madrid and Athletic Bilbao.
Barca, fourth, are two points behind the top two after a 1-1 draw at Rayo Vallecano before the international break in which Hansi Flick's side were outplayed.
After being given permission to play away at the start of the season so the Camp Nou could be readied, Barca's time ran out.
They did not announce the venue for their game against Valencia until Tuesday, in the hopes they would get the permits they needed to play before a reduced-capacity crowd at their revamped stadium.
With a concert being held at the Olympic stadium -- where Barcelona have been playing the last two seasons during building work at Camp Nou, which is due to be completed in 2026 -- the club have been reduced to playing before a tiny crowd.
Rivals Real Madrid also played at their Alfredo Di Stefano training ground stadium during renovations at the Santiago Bernabeu, but it was mainly during the 2020/21 season when fans were not allowed to attend because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
"We will go back to Camp Nou as soon as possible, we're really looking forward to returning," said Barcelona president Joan Laporta on Thursday.
The Catalans thumped Italian side Como 5-0 at the Johan Cruyff stadium in August in a friendly, which they had also hoped to play at the Camp Nou, originally due to reopen in November 2024.
Barcelona granted Valencia 290 tickets for the match, which quickly sold out.
"We have to adapt even though we know that we want to play in big stadiums," complained Valencia midfielder Pepelu.
"In the end we can do little other than just playing the game and winning it."
Flick's rampant Barcelona thrashed Valencia 7-1 at the Olympic stadium last season but Pepelu expects a closer game on Sunday.
"We're ready to see if we can get a good result. We've worked to correct things from last year and we're convinced it will be a good match," he added.
Flick suggested his Barcelona team needed to keep their egos in check if they are to succeed this season following their domestic treble. Playing at the Johan Cruyff might bring them down to earth.
"It's important there are no egos, that kills the chances of success," said Flick, upset after the team's poor display against Rayo at Vallecas.
Teenage sensation Lamine Yamal also insisted Barcelona stars needed to be focussed after returning from international duty.
"We did not start (the season) with the intensity that we finished, we made mistakes," admitted Yamal.
"We are hungry for more, you have to give us time."
Real Madrid visit Real Sociedad while Athletic Bilbao host Alaves, both on Saturday, in a Basque Country double-header.
