Final stages of the works on the Johan Cruyff Stadium
The Johan Cruyff Stadium, which will be the most emblematic installation at the Ciutat Esportiva, is in the final stages of construction work and the forecast is that between April and May it will be finished. This was confirmed during the visit that took place this Wednesday, with a delegation headed by the president of FC Barcelona, Josep Maria Bartomeu; the third vice-president and commissioner of Espai Barça, Jordi Moix, and the mayor of Sant Joan Despí, Antoni Poveda, and also attended by Susila Cruyff, daughter of Johan Cruyff and president of the Johan Cruyff Foundation, on behalf of the family.
The visit had an extensive presence of institutional and municipal representatives, including the entities, companies and collaborators involved in the construction of the stadium, among whom were Batlle & Roig Arquitectes, who designed the installation which is part of the Espai Barça project. The Club was also represented by the directors Josep Ramon Vidal-Abarca and Xavier Vilajoana, CEO Òscar Grau, the director of the Patrimonial-Espai Barça Area, William T. Mannarelli, and members of his team. From the City Council of Sant Joan Despí were the first Deputy Mayor, Belén Garcia, and members of the construction and architecture teams.
Tour of the pitch
The entourage took a tour of the main spaces of the Johan Cruyff Stadium that ended at pitch level. The stadium consists of a -1 floor, which can be used as a parking lot with 96 spaces, the O ground level, where there are the interior spaces for changing rooms, the press room and the mixed area; Area 1, where we find the entrances on the side street for behind the goals and all the lower tier; the second tier of the Tribune, where the Llotja is located; the third tier of the Tribune, where there is the press area and radio and TV booths for retransmissions, and a fourth tier, where the master chamber and police control (UCO) is located.
Since the symbolic placement of the first stone was celebrated, on September 14, 2017, the construction process has progressed quickly, first with the movement of land and the excavation work of the deep-casting piles, which finished in March 2018, and later with the prefabricated structure of concrete, the metallic structure of steel, the installation of the prefabricated stands, the internal installations, the pipes and wiring, the roof, facade and preparation of the pitch. From now until the completion of the works, the tasks that remain are to finish the various spaces, installation of the pitch and finally seating to be installed. They are of the same model as those used at the Wanda Metropolitano.
The forecast is that the construction company can deliver the finished work by the end of April and that for a month and a half the installation can be tested to verify its operation. The official inauguration date has yet to be specified, but President Bartomeu has advanced that everything will be done by June so that the Johan Cruyff Stadium will be fully operational and allow Barça B, Barça Women and the U19A side to play their matches there as of next season.
A modern, efficient and functional stadium
It must be remembered that the Johan Cruyff Stadium stands out because it is a modern, efficient and functional stadium concept. It will have a capacity for 6,000 spectators and presents an asymmetrical profile between one side of the field (the high stand for 5,000 spectators) and the rest (lower tier for 1,000 spectators) without losing the sensation of unity. The stadium embraces the audience around its perimeter and confers a unitary structure as a whole.
Statements by Josep Maria Bartomeu, president of FC Barcelona:
"Seeing this stadium fills us with much pride. To all those who said that the Espai Barça wouldn't be done, I tell them that soon we will have the first inauguration and that later a series of projects will happen."
"We are glad to see how this stadium has been made. The Espai Barça project is already underway. This Johan Cruyff Stadium is the jewel of the Ciutat Esportiva. It should also be the jewel for Barça B, Barça Women and U19A when playing European competition; a stadium that must be the dream of many young people, a springboard to get to the first team or to other European clubs. We are very proud that the Masia works and that Barça is the Club that brings players to other clubs in the five major European leagues. The goal is for players to reach the first team and here they will have the conditions to do it, starting from next season."
"I hope we can call you again in June to open the stadium that bears your father's name."
Statements by Jordi Moix, Vice President and Commissioner of Espai Barça:
"The Johan Cruyff Stadium is very important, it's a strategic move from the Club and this Board of Directors. I want to remind you that the idea came with Sandro Rosell as president, and that today he's not very far from here. As you know 22 months ago he went to jail. I wanted to mention it, because it's very difficult to justify and we need to be with those whom helped promote it, along with the idea from Mayor Poveda, to buy the land. That was the first seed of the installation that is being built with the latest technology, both from the point of view of sustainability and construction. The building consolidates the Ciutat Esportiva, which grows by 25% on the surface, helps to set up various services in this installation and, in addition, has contributed to the consolidation of a new neighbourhood in Sant Joan Despí. I'm sure Johan will be very proud because this new stadium remembers Ajax, where he started his football career. Here we will see future players debut and who will triumph at Barça."
"This operation involves releasing the current Miniestadi, and building the new Palau there, as well as the rest of the Espai Barça project. The approval of the General Metropolitan Plan was already a reality since last April. We are presenting to the city the project of urbanisation of the streets around the Camp Nou. This year we are working on the repairs and licensing project. And during the next months we will explain the financing structure and the deadlines to execute the bulk of the project's works."
Statements by Antoni Poveda, mayor of Sant Joan Despí:
"This is an area of 25 hectares, of which FC Barcelona has ownership of 17. One area is divided into two main areas: one for sports activity and another that is a neighbourhood housing 800 units with services and facilities. I would like to thank the Club with their help in consolidating this space and to carry it forward in a sustainable, balanced way, and with values that are what Barça represents."
"Mobility was one of the issues that always worried us, but it is guaranteed that Barça members and fans will come here. We have almost 800 parking spaces, bus lines that will respond to the needs; we have the TRAM seven minutes away, the FFCC station 10 minutes away, the L43 line that connects directly with Francesc Macià without stops just 100 metres outside the stadium, as well as the L78 that arrives at Sants."