Barcelona will return to competitive action at their famous Camp Nou stadium on Saturday for the first time in two-and-a-half years when they host Athletic Bilbao in a LaLiga fixture.

It will be an emotional homecoming as the club reopens its partially renovated ground, with a temporarily reduced capacity, as part of its ambitious redevelopment project.

“The match corresponding to matchday 13 of the League, against Athletic Club, scheduled for Saturday, November 22 at 16:15, will finally be played at Spotify Camp Nou,” Barcelona said in a statement on Monday.

The capacity currently allowed is 45,401, it said, well below the 105,000 seats the venue is intended to have once the renovation is finished.

“Barcelona celebrates being able to compete again at its stadium and continue advancing in the comprehensive transformation project of the new Camp Nou,” the club added.

The Catalan club last played an official match at Camp Nou on May 28, 2023, against Mallorca, before the stadium was closed for extensive renovations.

Since then, Barcelona have been playing home fixtures at the Olympic Stadium in Montjuïc which has a similar capacity to the reduced Camp Nou.

The club said they are liaising with European governing body UEFA to also hold next week’s Champions League match against Eintracht Frankfurt at the revamped Camp Nou, though official confirmation is pending.

While the renovation means that fans will not yet witness the stadium at full capacity, the temporary arrangements still offer a heartfelt opportunity for many fans to return to their spiritual home.

-Reuters

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Barcelona president Joan Laporta said on Thursday the club is planning to erect a statue of Lionel Messi outside the newly renovated Camp Nou, as the Catalan side prepare to honour their record scorer after his emotional visit to the stadium.

Messi, 38, returned to Barcelona on Sunday to tour the revamped ground for the first time since leaving the club in 2021, later posting on Instagram that he hoped to “return one day, and not just to say goodbye as a player.”

Laporta, speaking at a book presentation in Barcelona, said the board had already discussed plans for a permanent tribute to the Argentine World Cup winner.

“Messi will always be linked to Barca, he knows that the doors are open for him. We have absolute respect for him, he deserves the best tribute,” he said.

“He should have a statue at Spotify Camp Nou, like (Johan) Cruyff and (Laszlo) Kubala. He is one of those iconic players who have left their mark on us. We have discussed it at a meeting and are working on it. The family must agree, and all Barca fans would want it.”

Laporta previously dismissed suggestions that Messi could return to play for Barca, calling the idea “unrealistic” given the forward’s contract with MLS side Inter Miami, which he extended last month.

Messi, who joined Barca’s academy at 13, scored 672 goals in 778 appearances and led the team to 10 LaLiga titles, four Champions League crowns and three Club World Cups during his 21 years at the club.

The Camp Nou, closed for almost 900 days for renovation, reopened on Friday with an open training session attended by more than 20,000 fans. Laporta said the club hopes to host “the most beautiful tribute in the world” once the project is complete.

-Reuters

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“Old things have passed away,” the biblical verse reads — and it appears former Brazil and Barcelona star Dani Alves has taken that message to heart.

The once flamboyant right-back, known for his boundless energy and attacking flair on the pitch, has embarked on a new and unexpected path — one defined by faith, humility, and redemption.

The ex-Barcelona star is now a pastor after life-changing encounter. The 42-year-old football legend has been seen delivering a heartfelt sermon at the Elim Girona Evangelical Church in Spain, where he shared his emotional journey from glory and scandal to spiritual awakening.

A New Calling

Alves, who now describes himself as “a disciple of Jesus Christ,” spoke passionately to a gathering of worshippers, recounting how faith helped him navigate one of the darkest chapters of his life — including a 14-month prison sentence tied to a sexual assault accusation.

He was later acquitted, but the experience, he said, transformed him deeply.

“In the middle of storms and suffering, there is always a messenger from God,” Alves told the congregation. “That messenger took me to church during the darkest moments of my life. I made a covenant with God. We must believe, my brothers. I am proof that God keeps His promises.”

As he preached and sang hymns with the congregation, videos of his testimony quickly went viral online — sparking both surprise and admiration for his newfound devotion.

A Legendary Career Revisited

Before his spiritual rebirth, Dani Alves was known as one of football’s most decorated players and arguably the finest right-back in the sport’s history.

Across a glittering career spanning over two decades, Alves played 883 official matches, scored 63 goals, and made 188 assists — collecting an astonishing 43 trophies, more than any other footballer.

During his eight seasons with FC Barcelona, he won:

• 6 La Liga titles
• 4 Copa del Rey titles
• 3 UEFA Champions Leagues
• 3 Spanish Super Cups
• 3 UEFA Super Cups
• 2 FIFA Club World Cups

He also represented Brazil 126 times, scoring eight goals, and was instrumental in multiple Copa América and Confederations Cup triumphs.

From Glory to Grace

Once celebrated for his samba flair and exuberant confidence, Alves now appears focused on a different kind of mission — spreading messages of faith, forgiveness, and inner peace.

Those close to him say he has embraced a quieter life in Girona, devoting his time to church activities and mentoring young people.

“Football gave me everything,” he once said. “But faith gave me back my life.”

For a man who once dazzled fans with crosses and dribbles, Dani Alves’ latest assists are spiritual — offering hope, healing, and testimony to the power of transformation.

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