Camp Nou "baptism" will be sorted says Barca President Laporta

Barcelona's partially renovated Camp Nou stadium was flooded during heavy rain at the weekend with President Joan Laporta vowing to fix the problems. Laporta and other VIP guests were soaked in the corporate areas as rainwater streamed through gaps in the third tier, which remains uncovered. Videos shared on social media showed water cascading from the roof onto concourses, with some corridors resembling canals.Many of the 44,763 fans in attendance left the match early, unable to remain in their seats due to the constant downpour inside the stadium while media workers were forced to protect technical equipment as water leaked onto their work areas. Laporta addressed the flooding, describing it as an expected consequence of the ongoing construction work. "We all got wet," Laporta said."We knew it could happen, but in the end, the rain accompanied the victory. It was like witnessing the rain's baptism at Camp Nou. "The stadium is under construction, and anything that needs to be fixed on the go, we will address. This is normal and will be resolved." The club president confirmed that License 1C, which would increase capacity to 62,000, has been delayed beyond its planned early January completion. The £1.25 billion renovation project has been hit by multiple delays since work began in May 2023.Barcelona returned to Camp Nou in November after spending two seasons at Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys, but the stadium currently operates at reduced capacity. The roof installation, covering 48,000 square metres, is not scheduled to begin until summer 2027 and when completed, Camp Nou will hold approximately 105,000 spectators.