Camp Nou: A lot of pick and little shovel

In the 1990s, the illustrious and powerful communicator José María García used to coin a phrase among his many catchphrases. He distinguished Argentine coaches into two types: those who stood out for their verve and those who stood out for their selflessness. Of the former, among whom he singled out Jorge Valdano, he said they were "very clever and not very clever." Of the latter, among whom he applauded Héctor Cúper, he asserted that they were "small and very clever." If the radio host of that time were active now, he would surely shout that in the Camp Nou crisis, the Barça board, starting with Joan Laporta and continuing with vice president Elena Fort, has been "small and clever."

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Because there's no denying that the Blaugrana leaders are slaves to their words. Yes, it's well known that unexpected events always arise during construction projects. They demonstrate to change a tap at home, so why wouldn't they show up at a magnificent construction project like the refurbishment of Camp Nou? That's logical and very understandable. It's not like to take a wild gamble when it comes to predicting dates for the return to the Barcelona stadium. At the time, Fort stated that the return would be for the 125th anniversary, in November 2024. Nothing could be further from the truth. It soon became clear that this was nonsense. The various subsequent approximate dates all fell like a house of cards, casting a shadow of unjustifiable improvisation over the matter.

Starting the season in Montjuïc would be a monumental failure.

The final straw was the failed return to the Joan Gamper stadium on August 10. The club had officially announced it with a campaign led by President Laporta.

It wasn't an unofficial leak or a statement made in an interview. It was a date marked by the board itself. Either the builders weren't entirely accurate, or the advisors didn't advise well, or the leaders repeatedly took the plunge. Or a combination of all three.

The frustrated return dates give a terrible image

We'll see how the board emerges from this latest mess, because they always find a loophole at the last minute to buy time and land on their feet after performing an incredible triple somersault. Starting the season playing at the Montjuïc stadium would be a monumental failure.