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Barcelona’s long-awaited return to the Camp Nou has been delayed once again, as the club confirmed on Thursday that their iconic stadium will not be ready to host the upcoming Champions League clash with Olympiacos.The Catalan giants had hoped to secure the necessary permit from the city council in time for the European fixture on October 21st, but fresh administrative and safety issues have forced another postponement. Instead, the match will be played at the Olympic Stadium, where Barcelona also suffered a 2-1 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain earlier this week.In an official statement, the club said: “Barcelona is continuing to work to obtain the necessary administrative permits for the opening of the Camp Nou in the coming days.”Despite more than two years of renovation work, the stadium is still not ready to host matches, even on a reduced-capacity basis. Concerns raised by the city’s fire department include problems with evacuation routes and overall safety standards, leaving the project stalled.Renovation StrugglesThe grand reopening of Camp Nou was originally planned for November 2024, but multiple delays have already pushed back the timeline. The ambitious project, costing an estimated €1.5 billion (£1.3bn), aims to transform the stadium into a modern football landmark with a final capacity of 105,000 seats.To accommodate construction, Barcelona started their La Liga campaign away from home before temporarily shifting to the Johan Cruyff Stadium, which holds just 6,000 fans. While the club recently hosted Valencia and Getafe there, European nights remain out of reach until Camp Nou is certified safe.Key Takeaways:Camp Nou reopening delayed due to safety permit issues.Champions League clash vs Olympiacos moved to the Olympic Stadium.Fire department highlights evacuation route problems.Final stadium capacity expected to reach 105,000 seats.Barcelona investing €1.5 billion in renovation.For fans, the delay is another setback in what was meant to be a historic return. Until safety approvals are secured, Barcelona’s Champions League campaign will continue away from the home of the Blaugrana.

Birmingham City co-owner and chairman Tom Wagner has warned that any wealth redistribution deal between the Premier League and the English Football League (EFL) must not come at the cost of the competitive edge of England’s top-flight.Wagner, who partnered with NFL legend Tom Brady to acquire Birmingham City in 2023, stressed that while he supports strengthening the football pyramid, "the top of the pyramid must remain highly competitive and retain its enormous brand value."The EFL continues to push for a substantial settlement to make the pyramid more sustainable, with the revenue gap between the Premier League and the Championship alone now exceeding £5 billion. However, no final deal has been reached.Earlier this year, West Ham United vice-chairman Karren Brady claimed in the House of Lords that a "credible and generous proposal" had been rejected by the EFL — a statement that was denied by the League, which said only that discussions had briefly resumed.Speaking at the Leaders sports business conference, Wagner said:"What I would say is that we’d love to have more revenue, and we’d love to see the pyramid strengthened, but what we don’t want to see is for whatever percentage we land on result in a less competitive top of the pyramid."He added: "From an international perspective, it’s not for me to say what the right percentage is, but I think what we want is for the top of the pyramid to still have that enormous brand value, be highly competitive internationally, and I think that that will draw more attention to English football generally."Wagner believes the Premier League’s global reach still has significant room to grow:"When I say that it’s going to grow, that doesn’t mean that we have to play more matches or increase ticket prices — we can distribute to a broader audience. I would posit that there are many billions of people every match that are not consuming it either directly or indirectly."The Premier League has already committed £1.6 billion to the wider football pyramid from its current broadcast cycle (2022–2025). Meanwhile, the UK government’s newly established Independent Football Regulator (IFR) will hold the power to enforce an agreement if no deal is struck, although the body may take time to become fully operational.Key Takeaways:Wagner stresses Premier League must not lose value under EFL redistribution.£5bn+ revenue gap separates Premier League and Championship.Dispute continues despite government pressure for agreement.Premier League committed £1.6bn to the pyramid (2022–2025).Wagner urges growth via global audience reach, not extra fixtures.For now, the redistribution debate continues, but Wagner remains firm that any settlement must not undermine the international prestige and competitiveness of the Premier League.

Novak Djokovic has once again raised concerns over the demanding tennis calendar, saying that players are “still not united enough” to bring about change despite years of discussions.The debate resurfaced this week after world number one Carlos Alcaraz pulled out of the Shanghai Masters to rest, following a string of injuries at the China Open. Fellow Grand Slam champions Coco Gauff and Iga Swiatek also criticised the relentless schedule, arguing that the number of tournaments risks player health and performance.Speaking in Shanghai, Djokovic highlighted how the issue has persisted throughout his career:More than 15 years ago I was talking about us needing to come together and reorganise the schedule,” said the 38-year-old, who boasts 24 Grand Slam titles.The Serbian star admitted the problem is “very complex”, pointing out that the sport’s individual nature makes it difficult to unite players behind one vision.“It’s an individual sport... at the end of the day you can still make choices,” he said.However, Djokovic argued that “there are people who just don’t want to change things in our sport for the better... when it comes to the players’ welfare.”He stressed that genuine reform will only come if the game’s biggest names act collectively:“You need the top players, particularly, to sit down and roll up their sleeves and really care.”Djokovic begins his Shanghai campaign on Friday against Croatia’s Marin Čilić, currently ranked 94th. The Serb has reduced his schedule in recent years in a bid to extend his dominance at the top of the sport. His last appearance came at the US Open in September, where he was beaten in the semi-finals by Alcaraz.Key Takeaways:Djokovic says tennis players are “still not united enough” to reform the schedule.Alcaraz, Gauff, and Swiatek have all voiced frustration at the demanding calendar.Injuries at the China Open highlight growing concerns over player welfare.Djokovic urges top players to lead the push for meaningful change.Serb faces Marin Čilić in his Shanghai opener after a four-week break.With stars calling for reform, the pressure is mounting on tennis authorities to address the calendar and protect player welfare in a sport that continues to push its elite to the limits.

Two-time Grand Slam champion Coco Gauff has stressed the need for more money to be distributed from the sport’s four major tournaments, arguing that increased revenue-sharing would safeguard the long-term health of tennis.Gauff, currently ranked world number three, is part of a group of elite players pushing for a greater share of income, stronger welfare benefits, and a bigger voice in how the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon, and US Open are run.In March, 20 players signed a letter to the Grand Slam heads demanding a rise in prize money and more direct consultation. A second letter, sent in the summer, underlined calls for the Slams to contribute to a player welfare fund, covering areas such as retirement security and maternity support.Speaking in Beijing after reaching the semi-finals of the China Open, Gauff said:For the long run of our sport and kind of the whole ecosystem I think that it’s really important.While discussions are ongoing, Gauff admitted uncertainty about the timeline:“They have been working with us behind the scenes on finding a solution, but I don’t know when it’s gonna happen.”Revenue and Welfare GapPlayers argue that despite generating far more money, the Grand Slams contribute less to player benefits compared with ATP and WTA tours. The tours reportedly provide tens of millions of dollars annually towards welfare, while the majors contribute nothing.Gauff clarified the group’s position:“We’re not talking about just raising the prize money for the champion, but also trickling all the way down.”She added: “We kind of want them to invest more in the Tour as a whole, not only when it comes to prize money, but the wellbeing of players. Our 200th best player, our 300th best player is struggling to make ends meet.”For Gauff, the issue extends beyond her own career:“I don’t know if it will happen in my career lifetime where it reaches that, but I want to leave this sport better than I found it.”Key Takeaways:Coco Gauff leads calls for Grand Slams to share more revenue with players.20 players signed letters pushing for higher prize money and welfare funds.Lower-ranked players highlighted as struggling financially.ATP and WTA invest tens of millions annually, while Slams contribute nothing.Gauff says reforms are essential for the sport’s long-term ecosystem.As the debate continues, pressure is mounting on the Grand Slams to step up and support not just the champions but the wider playing field that sustains professional tennis.