“I Don’t Want That Feeling Again” – Laporta Acts After Camp Nou Chaos
Barcelona will lock down ticket sales for next week’s Champions League clash with Eintracht Frankfurt, restricting access to members only as the club moves to stop a repeat of one of the most embarrassing nights in its recent European history.
The decision comes with scars still fresh from April 2022, when more than 30,000 Frankfurt supporters overran Spotify Camp Nou and turned a European knockout tie into what felt like an away game for Barça.
Why This Matters Now
This is the first time Barcelona and Frankfurt have met since that Europa League night, and the timing could not be more delicate. Barça only returned to Camp Nou in November after two years at the Olympic Stadium, and the club is still rebuilding not just its stadium but also its European authority.
The match is also critical on the pitch. Barcelona sits 18th in the Champions League table with seven points from five matches, three points off the top eight that guarantees automatic qualification to the round of 16. Anything less than a strong home night would deepen the pressure around Hansi Flick’s side.
Frankfurt arrives in similarly desperate shape. The Bundesliga club are 28th with four points, just two points outside the top 24 and the playoff places. For both clubs, this fixture feels more like a knockout game than a group stage fixture.
Club Statement: Protecting Home Ground
Barcelona made their stance clear in an official club statement, stressing that preventing another takeover is now a priority.
The club said the move was designed “to safeguard the safety of Barça supporters” and to avoid a repeat of 2022, when “the majority of spectators in the stadium were not supporters of the home team.”
The message was simple and sharp: members first, outsiders later, if at all.
According to the club, this policy is about restoring Camp Nou as a true home advantage rather than a neutral venue dressed in white.
Laporta’s Warning and a Memory He Wants Buried
President Joan Laporta went further than the official statement. Speaking publicly this week, he admitted the previous experience still bothers him.
“I don’t want to have the feeling we had during that game in 2022,” Laporta said. “It’s a horrific memory, the stadium full of opposition shirts.”
That comment matters. When a club president openly calls a European home night “horrific,” it tells you this is no longer just a ticketing decision but a reputation issue.
Stadium, Capacity and the Feeling of Control
Barcelona have spent the last two years away from their traditional home while Camp Nou underwent redevelopment. Since returning, they have been operating under a reduced capacity of around 45,000 fans as construction continues.
They have played their last three LaLiga games back at Camp Nou, but this will be their first Champions League match in the stadium since November. That alone raises the stakes. The club wants the atmosphere to feel like a rebirth, not a rerun.
Bigger Questions for Both Clubs
For Barcelona, the question is simple but uncomfortable. Can they control their own house when the pressure peaks? Or has European dominance slipped so far that even their home advantage needs policing?
For Frankfurt, the challenge is different. They thrive on travelling support but now face a hostile, controlled environment with limited ticket access and a crowd tailored specifically against them.
If you were in Frankfurt’s squad, would you feel targeted or motivated?
If you were in Barcelona’s dressing room, would this feel like protection or pressure?
What Comes Next
Tuesday’s match is more than a fixture. It is a test of authority, atmosphere, and identity.
Barcelona wants their stadium back. Not just physically, but emotionally. Frankfurt wants to keep their Champions League season alive.
Only one side will walk away feeling in control.