Barcelona's Triumphant Homecoming After Two-Year Exile
Barcelona marked their long-awaited return to the rebuilt Camp Nou stadium with an emphatic 4-0 victory over Athletic Bilbao on Saturday, moving level with Real Madrid at the top of La Liga. The Spanish champions had been forced to wait an additional year due to construction delays before finally ending their two-and-a-half-year exile from their legendary home.
Perfect Start in Renovated Stadium
Before a crowd of just over 45,000 fans who filled the three opened stands, Barcelona delivered a performance worthy of the historic occasion. Fireworks illuminated the sky both before and after the match, creating a festive atmosphere despite the exorbitant ticket prices that still resulted in a virtually sold-out event.
Manager Hansi Flick expressed his delight at the special moment, telling reporters: "For everyone, the players, the staff, the coaches, it was a special game, and also for the fans to be back here in this stadium is unbelievable." He described the clean sheet, four goals, and three points as "the perfect day for us."
Goal Scorers Shine in Dominant Display
The scoring opened early when veteran striker Robert Lewandowski, wearing the captain's armband, found the net in the fourth minute. The Polish international capitalized on high pressing from Eric Garcia, who was playing in midfield due to Frenkie de Jong's suspension, beating goalkeeper Unai Simon at his near post with a powerful low strike.
Ferran Torres then took center stage, scoring either side of halftime to complete his brace. His first came just before the break after excellent work from Lamine Yamal, while his second arrived late in the game following another superb Yamal pass that left Torres one-on-one with the goalkeeper.
The Catalan giants added their third through Fermin Lopez early in the second half, with Garcia again instrumental in creating the opportunity through effective pressing in Athletic territory.
Special Moments and Fan Reactions
The emotional return to Camp Nou was marked by several poignant moments. Fans sang the name of Barcelona legend Lionel Messi in the 10th minute, honoring the club's glittering past while embracing their new era. The home supporters also made their feelings clear about Nico Williams' decision not to join Barcelona, whistling the Spain forward whenever he touched the ball.
Lewandowski, who scored the historic first goal at the renovated stadium, reflected on the significance: "Today was a special day, not only for me but for everyone. I'm very happy that I could score the first goal, coming back to Camp Nou... I think this first goal for me is something that I'm going to remember forever."
Athletic Bilbao's miserable afternoon was compounded when midfielder Oihan Sancet was sent off in the second half after a VAR review confirmed his reckless challenge on Lopez.
Looking Ahead to Full Capacity
While the current capacity stands at approximately 45,000, Barcelona officials hope to open more seats by 2026, with the stadium expected to reach its full 105,000 capacity next season. Manager Flick acknowledged the gradual process, stating: "We have to wait, step by step... we are looking forward to that," while describing coaching Barcelona at Camp Nou as a "dream come true."
The victory was particularly sweet as it marked Barcelona's first clean sheet since September, with goalkeeper Joan Garcia returning from a nine-game injury absence to help secure the shutout.
In other La Liga action, third-place Villarreal maintained pressure on the leaders with a 2-1 win over Mallorca, moving within two points of Barcelona and Real Madrid, while Real Sociedad climbed to mid-table with a 3-1 victory over Osasuna that featured a spectacular goal from Ander Barrenetxea near the halfway line.
