Barça players explore Virtual Spotify Camp Nou with CUPRA

There is less and less time until the new Spotify Camp Nou opens its doors, but the men’s and women’s team players already have a good idea of what it’s going to be like, and that was without having to move away from the Ciutat Esportiva Joan Gamper. That is thanks to the Exponential Experience offered by CUPRA, FC Barcelona’s Official Automotive and Mobility Partner and Official Car, in which they donned VR glasses and drove a virtual CUPRA UrbanRebel Racing vehicle around a digital circuit adapted to FC Barcelona. Marc-André ter Stegen, Alexia Putellas, Pedri, Ona Batlle, Raphinha, Claudia Pina, João Felix, Jana, Fermín López, Lucy Bronze, Vitor Roque and Bruna were co-piloted by Jordi Gené on a trip round the Spotify Camp Nou while also getting to test their skills at the steering wheel.

The players got to race around a futuristic version of Barcelona, passing such iconic buildings as the Glòries Tower and a completed Sagrada Família, before zooming uptown to get their first ever trip around the stadium, which in real life is still being redeveloped, but which here is already finished.

The club provided CUPRA with 3D architectonic renders of the ground, which needed to be adapted to the driving space and arcade style. It took more than 500 hours to get the job done, but the result reflects the full essence of Spotify Camp Nou, albeit with a gamified structure and details.

Fun at the wheel

"It’s a very authentic experience and the new Spotify Camp Nou looks great, I can’t wait to be there", said Marc-André ter Stegen, while Jana added that, “sensorially, it’s awesome, with the sounds and chants getting louder and louder as you approach the stadium, and the mosaic once you’re inside.”

Before starting, Raphinha said, "I think I’m a good driver,” while Joao Felix boasted that "I’m good at video games, so I might have an advantage," and Bruna said she was “nervous, but really excited!"

At the wheel, they got to share the experience with professional racing driver Jordi Gené. "I’m going to give this some welly", warned Claudia Pina, while Fermín López exclaimed that “this is ace!” When he’d finished, Pedri expressed how stunning the car was, while Alexia Putellas was especially keen to see what times everyone had done.

Vitor Roque was gagging to have another go, and Lucy Bronze’s response was to say “that was great fun, very different to what I expected.” And for Ona Batlle, the experience had been “simply amazing.”

More than a partnership

This action is part of the global alliance that FC Barcelona and CUPRA renewed last February 29, by which SUPRA remains the club’s Official Automotive and Mobility Partner and Official Car until 2029. CUPRA also continues as a Global Partner, and will feature as one of the official sponsors in the Espai Barça.

The partnership is based on the values and future vision that the two brands share. FC Barcelona’s constant support for young talent also resonates with the youthful rebelliousness of CUPRA, which was created for a new generation of drivers who are ready for the switch to electric mobility.