Barcelona's Ultras Set to Return for Massive Atlético Comeback Clash
Barcelona's animation groups are set to return to Spotify Camp Nou for the Atlético de Madrid second leg, as the club looks to overturn a 4-0 deficit.
Barcelona are pulling out every stop ahead of what is, let’s be honest, one of the most daunting nights in recent memory at the Spotify Camp Nou — and that includes bringing back the ultras.
The Bad News First
The club had been hoping to significantly boost the atmosphere by expanding the stadium’s capacity for the Atlético de Madrid second leg. The plan was to get a 1C licence from the local council, which would have opened up an extra 17,000 seats — filling out the north end and generating the kind of wall of noise that might just help inspire a side needing to overturn a 4-0 first-leg deficit.
That licence has been knocked back. The council aren’t playing ball, so that particular avenue is firmly shut. Not ideal when you’re staring down the barrel of one of the biggest uphill tasks in European football.
The Good News
Here’s where it gets a bit more interesting, though. Barcelona are well aware of how crucial the crowd is going to be on the night, and they’ve made the call to allow the Grada de Animació — the club’s organised supporter groups — back into the stadium.
Around 500 fans from the club’s four official animation groups are expected to be in attendance. The exact location inside the ground is still being sorted, but the decision itself has been made. It’s happening.
A Long Time Coming
This is actually a bigger deal than it might sound. These groups were effectively banned from the stadium after failing to pay a series of outstanding fines — and it’s been a proper saga ever since:
- Talks between the club and the groups have been ongoing for several months
- The situation has been, by all accounts, a delicate and tricky one to resolve
- Opposition figures at the club have used the dispute to have a pop at the current board
- Now, finally, it looks like the logjam is breaking
This appearance against Atlético will essentially serve as a test run — a soft return ahead of what the club hopes will be a full, permanent reintegration as the stadium renovation works continue to progress through their various phases.
Why It Matters
Look, 4-0 is 4-0. Nobody’s pretending this is anything other than a mountain to climb. But atmosphere counts for something, especially in European nights under the lights. Having a proper, organised vocal presence — even 500 strong — could help set a tone and get the rest of the ground going from the off.
It won’t be the full-fat, expanded crowd Barcelona were dreaming of, but it’s something. And after months of back-and-forth, getting the Grada de Animació back through the turnstiles feels like a small but meaningful win — whatever happens on the pitch.