Spotify Camp Nou pitch drainage passes two heavy rain tests

FC Barcelona are pleased with how the pitch at the remodeled Spotify Camp Nou has performed in difficult weather conditions. The heavy rain experienced during matches against Feyenoord and Racing de Santander gave the club a chance to confirm that the drainage system works exactly as intended. With more rainfall forecast in the hours before the next home game, Barcelona face the challenge with the confidence of having already seen the pitch respond well to water.

• The Spotify Camp Nou pitch has already passed two heavy rain tests without problems.
• The playing surface is divided into 12 sensorized zones capable of regulating temperature.
• The drainage system sends water directly to the sewer network.
• Octavi Creus, the club's Head Groundsman since 2017, leads pitch maintenance.
• Barcelona applies phytosanitary treatments to prevent diseases on the grass.

Two precedents that back the Spotify Camp Nou drainage system

Ahead of the next match, Barcelona already have two positive experiences with heavy rain on the new pitch. Both against Feyenoord and Racing de Santander, the surface absorbed and drained the water without losing quality or creating puddles that could affect play. Those games served to validate the design of the drainage system installed during the stadium redevelopment.

Sensor technology to look after every pitch zone

Maintaining the Spotify Camp Nou pitch goes beyond drainage alone. The surface is divided into 12 zones equipped with sensors that record data in real time and allow the temperature to be regulated independently. The machines responsible for that regulation are kept inside the stadium structure and are activated based on the values sent by the sensors. Club sources sum up the working philosophy with a revealing phrase: the key is to anticipate what could happen so action can be taken in time.

"People have no idea of the science behind it," Barcelona say about the pitch sensor and drainage system at the Spotify Camp Nou.

How the pitch is prepared for rain at the Spotify Camp Nou

When rain is forecast, the maintenance team activates a protocol that combines anticipation and monitoring. The drainage system works by sending water directly to the sewer network, while the sensors report how each of the 12 zones is responding. That information allows them to decide what action is needed at any given moment, from temperature adjustments to targeted interventions on the grass.

The treatment is not limited to water. The club applies phytosanitary treatments to prevent diseases that could damage the grass, especially in a climate like Barcelona's. The city's high temperatures require far greater attention to detail than in other regions, such as England, where weather conditions are more favorable for pitch care. During the summer months there have been no setbacks, precisely thanks to that constant attention.

Octavi Creus, the man in charge of Barça's pitches

Leading all this work is Octavi Creus, FC Barcelona's Head Groundsman. With around four decades of experience in the industry, Creus joined the club in 2017 and is now responsible for the condition of the pitch at the Spotify Camp Nou, the Estadi Johan Cruyff and the training grounds at the Ciutat Esportiva. He also oversaw the Estadi Olímpic pitch during Barcelona's spell at Montjuïc.

What Barcelona expect for the next rainy match

Weather forecasts suggest heavy rain will arrive in the hours before the next match at the Spotify Camp Nou. Working out how many liters of water the pitch will have to drain is difficult, but the club approach the situation with the calm that comes from the strong results obtained so far. The system has worked flawlessly in the two previous cases of this kind, and everything points to it responding again if the rain does show up.