According to reports from the Spanish press, FC Barcelona is confronting a significant administrative hurdle that could directly impact its chances of achieving a historic comeback against Atlético Madrid in the Copa del Rey semi-final second leg. While fans eagerly await the March 3rd clash to overturn the crushing four-goal deficit from the first leg, the club’s ambitions to mobilize its maximum possible fan support are colliding with bureaucratic complexities imposed by the city council.
The club is in a race against time to secure the “1C” license from the Barcelona City Council, a permit crucial for opening the “Gol Nord” (North Goal) section of the Spotify Camp Nou. Obtaining this authorization would have allowed the stadium’s capacity to surge from 45,401 spectators to 62,657, effectively transforming the arena into a formidable “pressure machine” for the decisive cup tie.
A Bureaucratic Stalemate Threatens Fan Power
However, as detailed by the newspaper “Mundo Deportivo”, the paperwork and requirements mandated by the municipal authorities are growing increasingly convoluted by the day. This escalating complexity threatens to delay the granting of the license until mid-March, a timeline that would deprive the team of the vocal support of more than 17,000 additional fans on the critical night.
The challenges extend beyond the northern section. The report also highlights difficulties in utilizing the lower tier of the “Gol Sud” (South Goal) area, which is reserved for the supporters’ club and contains 1,247 seats. Although the administrative procedures for this section follow a separate track, requirements concerning access security and ensuring fan identification in that zone may prevent it from being ready before the highly anticipated match.
Facing this impasse, Barcelona’s sporting management has set March 17th or 18th as a definitive alternative deadline to reach an agreement with the council, coinciding with the return of the UEFA Champions League round of 16. Nevertheless, the potential absence of this massive fan support against Atlético Madrid represents a severe blow to the team’s aspirations of reaching the final.