Barcelona, Spain – November 22, 2025: FC Barcelona made a spectacular return to their home stadium, Camp Nou, with a dominant 4-0 victory over Athletic Bilbao. The win lifted Barcelona to the top of La Liga, level on points with Real Madrid, who will face Elche on Sunday.

Some 45,000 fans attended the match, marking the reopening of Europe’s largest football stadium at roughly half capacity after more than two years of renovations.

Match Highlights

Barcelona set the tone early, with Robert Lewandowski capitalizing on a defensive error in the fourth minute to score the opening goal. Alex Berenger of Athletic Bilbao mishandled the ball, allowing Lewandowski to fire a low shot past goalkeeper Unai Simón.

The hosts maintained control, dominating possession and pressing relentlessly against an out-of-form Bilbao side, which has won just three games since September and lost six of its last nine league matches.

Ferran Torres Stars

Barcelona extended their lead in first-half stoppage time when Lamine Yamal delivered a precise long ball to Ferran Torres, who calmly slotted past Simón. Torres added a second goal in the closing stages, again assisted by the 18-year-old Yamal, capping off a clinical performance.

Additional Goals

Fermin Lopez scored early in the second half after Athletic Bilbao gifted possession, while Bilbao’s Oihan Sancet was sent off in the 53rd minute following a reckless challenge, leaving the visitors with ten men for the remainder of the match.

Emotional Homecoming at Camp Nou

Fans celebrated the return to Camp Nou after playing home games for over 900 days at the municipally owned Olympic Stadium. Supporters sang the club anthem and embraced the vibrant atmosphere that had been missing during the extended renovation period.

“It has been two years at the Olympic Stadium, and it wasn’t easy. The atmosphere wasn’t the same,” said 36-year-old fan Carlos Narváez. “This is like coming home. You can see how excited everyone is.”

Stadium Renovation Update

While the stadium has reopened, construction continues. The top tier remains under development, with cranes and construction areas visible from the stands. The upgrade project, which began in June 2023, aims to modernize Camp Nou and expand capacity to 105,000 spectators.

Barcelona secured €1.45 billion ($1.6 billion) from investors for the renovations. Although initially scheduled for reopening in November 2024 to coincide with the club’s 125th anniversary, delays pushed back the timeline. UEFA has approved the stadium to host Eintracht Frankfurt on December 9, signaling continued progress in the renovations.

La Liga Implications

The 4-0 win puts Barcelona level with Real Madrid atop the La Liga table, highlighting their strong form at home. Lewandowski and Torres were instrumental, with young talent Lamine Yamal providing crucial assists.

Lewandowski said post-match, “We played well from the start and took another three points, but the important thing today is being back at Camp Nou. Playing here makes us a little stronger.”