Barcelona returns to Camp Nou after two years
Barcelona has received the ‘green signal’ to host their home match of the ongoing Champions League at the Camp Nou against Eintracht Frankfurt, scheduled to be held on 9th December. The La Liga club revealed the information. Only a few days back, Barcelona announced its long-desired return to league action at the stadium, which had been snowed under by construction chaos after more than two years in exile. Camp Nou will be reinaugurated through the La Liga match between Barcelona and Athletic Bilbao on 22nd November. Barcelona said in a statement that “UEFA accepted the request, considering that all the necessary requirements have been met.” Unfortunately, Barcelona were compelled to play two matches at their Johan Cruyff training ground stadium, which has only a 6,000-capacity. The club failed to get the approval needed for Camp Nou, due to safety reasons. They have since then been playing in the 55,000-seater Olympic stadium on Montjuic hill. Barcelona will open the Camp Nou against Bilbao with a temporary capacity of 45,401 spectators, with space for 105,000 when the top tier is eventually completed. It opened the stadium up for 23,000 fans to watch a training session earlier in November as a test event in the reopening process. The delay in the work represents a huge financial loss for the club, which needs the revenue generated by its stadium to regain stability.
Javier Siverio and Aakash Sangwan highlight the persistent issues in Indian football following the team’s recent loss to Bangladesh
Once again, Indian football is under fire after a disastrous defeat against Bangladesh in the Asian Cup qualifier, which was only of academic interest as both teams have already crashed out of the qualification for the main round. Social media is being filled with severe criticisms from football lovers, as their focus is on the players’ lackluster performance in the match held on Tuesday in Dhaka. Many supporters expressed their wrath, pointing out individual failure, questioning effort, desire, and commitment. Frustration flooded social media. However, the players decided to address the situation honestly. Their responses were not defensive. Instead, they highlighted why Indian football continues to sink into these cycles of disappointment. Even, Spanish footballer of FC Goa, Javier Siverio, opened up on the Indian players’ miserable performance. He stated, “Players aren’t the reason the system is falling apart”. Aakash Sangwan also emphasized the depth of the structural cracks. Instead of directly defending the team, he pointed to the long list of issues that define a typical season for most professionals now. He highlighted how the top division itself hangs in uncertainty, with no clear investment, no confirmed bidders, and barely any communication from those in charge. Players, he suggested, often find themselves signing contracts only to be told days later that there is nothing to train for. He implied that casual comments about technique or effort only scratch the surface. The real damage, Sangwan hinted, lies in the broken framework surrounding the sport, a framework that leaves players guessing about their futures and battling far more than what happens over ninety minutes on the pitch.
