Mourinho's night of return: Barcelona prepare a special display for the Clasico
Camp Nou set for a thrilling encounter
Spotify Camp Nou is preparing to host the eagerly anticipated Clasico between Barcelona and Real Madrid on Sunday. The Catalan club are planning a huge fan mosaic before kick-off to set the festive tone.
For Mourinho, it marks his first return to Spotify Camp Nou during his second spell with Real Madrid.
According to the Spanish newspaper Marca, Barcelona are keeping the details of the mosaic under wraps to preserve the surprise, so the features of the display that will adorn the stands remain unclear.
Opening the tenth round of the Spanish league, Barcelona will unveil a fan mosaic across the Spotify Camp Nou stands. It's a scene the Catalan club love to produce on the big occasions.
Last season, in the first meeting with Real Madrid after the team returned to the stadium following the renovation works at their Les Corts home, the Barcelona crest and the phrase "Força Barça" spread across large sections of the first and second tiers. Thousands of paper cards in blue and dark red formed the message, the most common one in the mosaics of the Catalan club's supporters.
Barcelona want to dress their stadium up in the best possible way for Sunday's match, a game that carries huge weight for the team. They are out to prove their Champions League defeat to Paris Saint-Germain was nothing more than a passing stumble.
The club hope Hansi Flick's players will feel the energy and backing of the fans the moment they step onto the pitch, and that they will grasp just how special Clasico matches are.
Exceptional atmosphere and record revenues expected
The mosaic won't be the only thing making the Spotify Camp Nou special, with a huge crowd also set to pack in for the match.
Played on 10 May, last season's Clasico drew 62,213 spectators to the stands. That helped Barcelona post record ticket revenues of 16.5 million euros.
Officials at the Catalan club are optimistic they can bring in even more this season. Ticket prices work on a variable system that rises as demand climbs, and demand right now is sky-high.
