FC Barcelona takes on its toughest opponent

FC Barcelona might be able to hit six past Valencia but can't get anything past the local council as the stadium saga drags on.

Instead of playing in front of 105,000 fans at the modernised Camp Nou, it's another week of performing in front of just 6,000 at the reserve team stadium.

It's one of the great footballing mysteries: when will Barça move back into the spiritual home?

Many thought it would be last week for the Valencia game, the club hoped it would be this week for the Getafe fixture. Now, everything hinges on the Real Sociedad match on 29 September.

The great club is finding the city council to be the toughest opponent this season.

The statement from the law makers said: "Like any other construction in this city and this country, a series of regulations must be fulfilled. Nobody can breach a regulation that pursues safety, safety and safety,"

FC Barcelona are having to compromise week by week. The plan to continue to play at the Olympic Stadium had to be shelved as the American rapper Post Malone was playing a concert at the venue. No, I'd never heard of him either, but he drew a bigger crowd than the famed football team.

Just five days before the Getafe game, Barça had to admit defeat and announce that the game would again be at the Estadi Johan Cruyff. It's not feasible to play at the Olympic Stadium as the pitch wouldn't be ready and it needs a clean up after the hip-hop crowd.

I enjoyed commentating on the pictures from the tiny stadium last week (there's not enough room for all the TV companies). There was an intimacy which generated a raucous atmosphere. The club invited only season-ticket holders who had attended every home game for the past two seasons, so we had the passionate core.

This is all very honourable, but it's costing the club a fortune.

They need to stage at least one game at the Camp Nou before UEFA will agree to allow them to play the Champions League matches there - so the race is on to satisfy the man from the council.

Even then, the proposal is only for 27,000 to be allowed into the Camp Nou. They may be asked to wear hard hats and hi-vis vests!

If they don't play the Real Sociedad game at the Camp Nou, they will have to arrange to play all home games in the Champions League group stage at the Olympic Stadium. There can't be a similar arrangement to the one with La Liga to play the first three games away from home.

It used to be said that winning the European Cup was the ultimate; now, it is obtaining the "first occupancy licence".

Until then, I imagine the superstars getting a text like Sunday league players. "Lads this week we are playing at X, please bring your boots".