Latest news with #CampNou
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Barcelona's next signing gets the ‘here we go'
La Liga giants Barcelona have on Saturday tied up a deal for the club's next high-profile signing. This comes amid confirmation that a deal is now in place for Manchester United star Marcus Rashford to seal a dream move to the Camp Nou. The name of frontman Rashford has of course dominated the headlines in Catalunya's capital for several weeks now. This comes after Barcelona's failed pursuit of Nico Williams, coupled with Liverpool's tough stance on Luis Díaz's sale, guided Deco and co. in the direction of the out-of-favour Man United man. Earlier today, the Blaugrana, in turn, moved ahead with a proposal for Rashford's signature. And as alluded to above, just hours on, the Spanish champions appear to have landed their man. As per a report from transfer insider Fabrizio Romano: 'Marcus Rashford to Barcelona, here we go! Verbal agreement in principle between all parties involved with Barça planning for medical tests next days. Loan deal with buy option, details being finalised today then Man Utd will authorize his travel to Spain.' Conor Laird – GSFN
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Barca's planned Camp Nou return in August scrapped
Barcelona abandoned their plan to return to their Camp Nou home in August on Friday, pushing the stadium's re-opening back further. The Catalan giants had planned to play a friendly match on August 10 as the first game in their stadium after two years of construction work, but blamed difficulty in obtaining a license to partially open the stadium for their decision. "Barcelona informs that the first match back at the Spotify Camp Nou has been suspended," said the club in a statement. "Because of the magnitude of the work done it was impossible to meet all the requirements demanded by the regulations governing the granting of the first occupancy license, despite the club's willingness to open Spotify Camp Nou in sections." The first match at the Camp Nou is now set to be the La Liga game against Valencia on September 13 or 14, with Barca's first three league matches away from home. However Barcelona did not state whether they can guarantee they will be able to open the stadium for the fixture, or potentially a home Champions League tie before then. Barca said the friendly they had planned, reported to be against Italian side Como, will take place instead at the Johan Cruyff stadium beside their training ground. Barcelona have played at the Olympic Stadium on the city's Montjuic hill over the past two seasons during the development at the Camp Nou. The club initially planned to return to the Camp Nou in November 2024 to mark the club's 125th anniversary but the stadium opening has been repeatedly delayed. Capacity at the Camp Nou will be around 60,000 until works are eventually completed, planned to be next summer, with the stadium expanded to 105,000 seats. Barcelona are estimated to be paying 1.5 billion euros ($1.75 billion) for the Camp Nou rebuild project. rbs/mw
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Barcelona star makes transfer stance clear amid summer exit rumors
Barcelona defender Gerard Martin has broken his silence on rumors linking him with a move away from Camp Nou. The 23-year-old, who featured regularly last season, has made it clear he's staying put — and has no plans to pack his bags this summer. Martin played 42 matches in the 2024-25 campaign, including eight in the Champions League. He finished the season with one goal and six assists, showing his ability to support the attack. Still, with Alejandro Balde the usual starter at left-back, talk grew over Martin possibly seeking more game time elsewhere. Several clubs have reportedly shown interest, but Martin isn't listening to the gossip. And fans hoping for a full-back shuffle might want to cool their jets. 📲 Follow The Sporting News on WhatsApp What Gerard Martin said on Barcelona future? Speaking to Mundo Deportivo, the Spaniard was clear and calm. 'I don't know if those stories are true. If they were, someone would have told me by now. I'm happy at Barcelona. I don't want to go anywhere. As long as the coach and the club trust me, I can't ask for more.' Martin added that working closely with the coaching staff has boosted his confidence. 'The coach trusts me, and that helps a lot. We've done video analysis together, and in training, he pushes me to give my best. During games, he asks me to be myself and stay focused.' He also gave an update on his recovery after undergoing hand surgery earlier this summer. 'I'm fine now. I was in a cast for three weeks, and at first I was a little worse, but I'm better now, ready to train on Monday and do whatever else I need to do.' With Barcelona heading to Asia for pre-season, Martin is set to join the squad and compete once again for his spot. While Balde may be the top pick, the race for minutes is far from over. Expect Martin to stay in the mix — and possibly shake things up at left-back. Barcelona news and related links Barcelona manager reveals primary area of concern for transfer window New Poland boss sets out Robert Lewandowski World Cup return plan Can Lamine Yamal break Lionel Messi's record as Barcelona's longest-serving No. 10?
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Reason revealed why Barcelona have not secured second licence for Joan Gamper trophy
The traditional Joan Gamper trophy tends to take place ahead of the new La Liga season, a curtain raiser for the Barcelona fans to see their side before they get into the throes of competition. It was announced by the club for the 10th of August, against Italian side Como, but there are now doubts over whether it will be able to take place at the renovated Camp Nou. Barcelona were due to return to their stadium for the first time in two years, but after securing a licence to hold events at the ground, they are still awaiting a second licence necessary to open the stadium to fans again. The Catalan side have suggested to the city council that they could perhaps open the ground to a reduced capacity, only opening certain zones and allowing around 30,000 fans in. Why Barcelona have not secured second licence Without the second licence from the council though, Barcelona cannot open Camp Nou to the public at all. The council have previously expressed doubts about their ability to secure the licence in time for the Gamper on the 10th of August, and with good reason. Cadena SER explain that the council still have not received the relevant documents from Barcelona in order to complete the application. Image via FC Barcelona The process tends to take around five to six months, and while there is a certain desire to speed through the bureaucracy from the council too, they are unable to send inspectors to the site while the application is not complete. The reason Barcelona have not sent the documentation is due to further delays in the work, which is already eight months behind schedule. Consequences for Barcelona The consequences for the Blaugrana are significant. It could lead a major issue in terms of their salary limit, as without a proof of product before the end of August, Barcelona may not be able to include their €100m VIP seat lease in their accounts. In addition, it is now a race against time for the Blaugrana to be ready for their first Liga match on the 14th of September against Valencia.
Times
6 days ago
- Times
Barcelona vs Madrid: which is better?
On the surface, Barcelona and Madrid — two of Spain's major cities, two and a half hours apart by train — are markedly different. Coastal Barcelona dazzles with its avant-garde buildings and sunny Mediterranean insouciance, while the central Spanish capital exudes history and elegance, holding its age-old traditions dear. Barcelona has miles of sandy beaches, a tight-knit medieval quarter and its very own architectural movement, Modernisme. Madrid, meanwhile, has not one but three world-class palaces of art, along with grand squares and boulevards, immense parks and a dynamic nightlife scene. Ultimately, though, these two cities have several crucial things in common. Superb bars and restaurants of every stripe; great shopping, from sprawling flea markets to luxe boutiques; and storied pasts written in stone everywhere you look. Both have some of Spain's loveliest hotels. I've lived in both cities and watched their characters change over the decades as the tentacles of tourism took hold. Neither is a well-kept secret any more, but they've retained robust (and distinct) personalities. If you've only time to visit one, here's how to choose. This article contains affiliate links, which may earn us revenue Winner Madrid Among the Barcelona attractions vying for pole position are its endless beaches; the medieval neighbourhoods of the Barri Gotic and El Born; the Camp Nou stadium; the Museu Picasso, and the entire output of Modernista architect Antoni Gaudí. The latter includes the fairytale whimsy of the Park Guell and the Casa Batllo, the staggering cathedral-to-be that is the Sagrada Familia and the gothic-influenced Palau Guell. Don't overlook the work of his contemporaries, however — the Palau de la Musica Catalana concert hall is a riot of colour and creativity. But Madrid comes out on top. What makes the city so unique is its blend of history and the avant-garde. Its three major art galleries — the Prado, the Thyssen-Bornemisza and the Reina Sofía — are complemented by a raft of underground galleries and cutting-edge cultural centres, while after dark its air of sturdy pomp gives way to a club scene unrivalled outside Berlin. As the seat of government and royalty, Madrid is endowed with awe-inspiring buildings, none quite as impressive as the Palacio Real, a vast confection of 3,400 rooms. For a comprehensive introduction to Madrid as well as other fabulous Spanish cities — including Barcelona — join Costsaver's eight-night Spanish Experience tour. The trip begins and ends in Madrid, with visits to the Palacio Real and Retiro Park, and you'll have a free day to explore Barcelona too. Other stops include Granada and Seville. If you're only visiting Barcelona, take a half-day tour around some of the old city's medieval and gothic highlights, including the cathedral, and ending at the Palau de la Musica Catalana. • Best things to do in Madrid• Best things to do in Barcelona Winner Madrid As the crucible of molecular gastronomy, Barcelona has gained a fearsome reputation among chefs. Many who worked under überchef Ferran Adrià in the kitchens of El Bulli went on to set up their own restaurants in the Catalan capital, such as the trio behind Disfrutar, voted No 1 in 2024 by the World's 50 Best Restaurants, or Ferran's brother Albert, who is behind Enigma. Local produce is highly prized, and Barcelona has a number of excellent neighbourhood food markets, including one of Europe's biggest, La Boqueria. Where Madrid excels is in its wonderfully atmospheric taverns and tapas bars, still going after decades or even centuries. The almost 200-year-old Casa Alberto is a classic must-visit for its oxtail stew, or you might try Botin, the oldest restaurant in the world, for some suckling pig or roast lamb. This is not to say that Madrid can't play Barcelona at its own game — see, for example, the boundary-pushing DiverXo, where some of the most creative food around is served in a wildly futuristic dining room. Secret Food Tours promises an epicurean voyage with its Madrid Walking Food Tour, showing you how to eat out like a local, guided by an expert in the city's history and culture, and stopping off for tapas, treats and tipples along the way. Intrepid's nine-night Northern Spain Real Food Adventure does as the name suggests. Food is front and centre in the varied itinerary across the north of the country. The trip begins in Barcelona, with a tapas crawl as well as a cava or vermouth tasting, with subsequent stops in Logrono, San Sebastian, Bilbao, Oviedo, La Coruña, and Santiago de Compostela. • Best restaurants in Barcelona Winner Barcelona For all its award-winning cocktail bars, Barcelona's greatest contribution to the proud art of drinking is probably cava — which knocks prosecco into a cocked hat and at its best matches many champagnes. It's mostly a summer tipple, best sampled on a sunny terrace or at one of the many xiringuitos (beach bars). In winter head to a wine bar (such as the excellent Mon Vinic) and try some of the many superb reds produced around Catalunya (most famously in the Priorat DO, but there are many others). Still, Madrid also excels when it comes to tipples. Hacer el vermut — 'doing vermouth' — does not just mean going out for a vermouth, it encompasses a whole tradition that might involve olives, crisps and a saucerful of fresh anchovies, and will almost certainly involve a table in the sun and a group of friends. It's mostly a late morning drink and serves as a lunch aperitif, unlike sherry, which is drunk at any time of day or night. Sherry is best experienced in the delightful La Venencia, a century-old bar with sherry barrels on the wall and where your order is chalked on the counter. Madrid is also a hot bed of microbreweries and craft beer bars. Visit some of the most interesting and meet the brewers on an evening tour with Get Your Guide. Take a trip out to the Codorniu winery, a major cava producer housed in a stunning Modernista building. Winner Barcelona Nowadays neither of Spain's major cities wants for hotel opulence — Barcelona has the Versailles-inspired El Palace, beachside Hotel Arts and its own branches of Mandarin Oriental, W, Nobu and Edition, to name but a handful. Where the city really excels, however, is in quirky boutiques, from the clubby Wittmore to the secret Neri, tucked away next to the cathedral. For a great-value option, try one of the Praktik hotels, each with a very individual concept, or one of the Chic&Basic hotels, which do exactly what you'd expect. The opening of the jawdroppingly luxurious Four Seasons Madrid in 2020 means that the capital just pips Barcelona to the post in terms of luxury, though. The city also has a glitzy Edition and Mandarin Oriental, along with a clutch of similarly upscale five-stars with little to choose between them, such as the Palacio de los Duques, Westin Palace and JW Marriott. The city doesn't lack for stylish budget choices either, and was the birthplace of the excellent value Room Mate group (in Madrid there are five, all wonderfully central) and also has five of the cheap and cheerful Petit Palace hotels. Request a room on one of the upper floors at Nobu Hotel Barcelona for spectacular views across the city (not to mention dreamily comfortable beds). • Best luxury hotels in Barcelona• Best family hotels in Barcelona The Madrid Edition stands out for its excellent Mexican restaurant, central location, and sleek, cream-toned rooms. • Best hotels in Madrid• Best affordable hotels in Madrid under £200 Madrid It's an impossible choice and will very likely depend on where your interests lie — one, after all, has a beach, while the other is home to some of the world's best-known paintings. Barcelona's architecture is utterly unique, while Madrid's is more in line with the grand capitals of Europe. Both have a generous sprinkling of Michelin stars. In the end, though, it is perhaps Madrid that's done a better job of preserving its character — its convivial old taverns and elegant gardens, its slap-up hearty lunches and anarchic cultural scene — while incorporating the new. • Best boutique hotels in Barcelona• Best places to visit in Spain Which Spanish city do you prefer — Barcelona or Madrid — and why? Let us know in the comments below
