The Catalan giants will host Valencia at their 6,000-capacity Johan Cruyff training ground stadium
\n BARCELONA
\nAfter three weeks on the road to start the La Liga season champions Barcelona play their first home match on Sunday, although it won\u2019t be the glorious return to the rebuilt Spotify Camp Nou they had hoped for.
\nThe 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.
\nBarca, fourth, are two points behind the top two after a 1-1 draw at Rayo Vallecano before the international break in which Hansi Flick\u2019s side were outplayed.
\nAfter being given permission to play away at the start of the season so the Camp Nou could be readied, Barca\u2019s time ran out.
\nThey 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.
\nWith a concert being held at the Olympic stadium \u2014 where Barcelona have been playing the last two seasons during building work at Camp Nou, which is due to be completed in 2026 \u2014 the club have been reduced to playing before a tiny crowd.
\nRivals 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.
\n\u201cWe will go back to Camp Nou as soon as possible, we\u2019re really looking forward to returning,\u201d said Barcelona president Joan Laporta on Thursday.
\nThe 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.
\nBarcelona granted Valencia 290 tickets for the match, which quickly sold out.
\n\u201cWe have to adapt even though we know that we want to play in big stadiums,\u201d complained Valencia midfielder Pepelu.
\n\u201cIn the end we can do little other than just playing the game and winning it.\u201d
\nFlick\u2019s rampant Barcelona thrashed Valencia 7-1 at the Olympic stadium last season but Pepelu expects a closer game on Sunday.
\n\u201cWe\u2019re ready to see if we can get a good result. We\u2019ve worked to correct things from last year and we\u2019re convinced it will be a good match,\u201d he added.
\nFlick 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.
\n\u201cIt\u2019s important there are no egos, that kills the chances of success,\u201d said Flick, upset after the team\u2019s poor display against Rayo at Vallecas.
\nTeenage sensation Lamine Yamal also insisted Barcelona stars needed to be focussed after returning from international duty.
\n\u201cWe did not start (the season) with the intensity that we finished, we made mistakes,\u201d admitted Yamal.
\n\u201cWe are hungry for more, you have to give us time.\u201d
\nReal Madrid visit Real Sociedad while Athletic Bilbao host Alaves, both on Saturday, in a Basque Country double-header.
\nPlayer to watch: Julian Alvarez
\nAtletico Madrid are winless at the start of the season and their clash against Villarreal, third, on Saturday is the perfect chance to kick-start their season. With Antoine Griezmann reduced to a bench role, Argentina international Alvarez has been handed the reins in attack and is hoping to reward Diego Simeone\u2019s faith.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The Catalan giants will host Valencia at their 6,000-capacity Johan Cruyff training ground stadium 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\u2019t be the glorious return to the rebuilt Spotify Camp Nou they had hoped for. The Catalan […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":502568,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-502549","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-sports"},"yoast_head":"\n