Madrid, June 25 (IANS) Spanish football giant FC Barcelona on Wednesday confirmed the club will end its two-year exile and return to its old base, Camp Nou Stadium, on August 10. The official Barcelona website announced the club will play its traditional Joan Gamper pre-season opener on the ground, which has been undergoing extensive renovation works over the past two years, as reported by Xinhua.

Barca have been forced to spend that time in the former Lluis Companys Olympic Stadium on the top of Montjuic, although the venue hasn't been popular with supporters, who, despite large numbers of tourists among their number, have rarely been able to fill the ground, which has a capacity of just below 57,000.

The club returns to its traditional home with building work still going on, with Barcelona confirming that; among the parts still needing to be finished, are the construction of the new third stand, the double VIP ring, the installation of the roof, and the preparation of some interior spaces and the remodeling of the area around the ground.

"To celebrate this moment, FC Barcelona has launched an epic and emotional campaign under the slogan 'Tornem a casa, vibrem'. The campaign includes a wide range of actions and activations across the city and digital platforms, aimed at reinforcing the connection between the Club, its fans, and the city of Barcelona, as well as with culers around the world. Some campaign elements have already been released, with more initiatives to follow and details to be shared through the Club’s official channels," read the statement by the club.

The ongoing work means the capacity on August 10 will be around 60,000, which is well below the final capacity of 99,354, but considerably more than the 25,000 initially expected for the Joan Gamper game.

"With this return, FC Barcelona takes a symbolic and emotional step into the future, reclaiming its home in a new era that will culminate with the complete inauguration of the new stadium. It’s a chance to feel again, to vibrate together again, and to continue building the Barça of tomorrow," the statement further added.

--IANS

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