Lionel Messi, Andres Iniesta and first team members of the squad were present as Barcelona unveiled designs for the new one-of-a-kind Camp Nou stadium. Construction of the new development is due to begin in 2017 and will be open for the 2021-22 season.

“We are proud to present the winning proposal for the new Camp Nou,” he said. “Many submissions were from the best architectural firms in the world. I want to thank all of them. I want to thank the work of the jury as well. They put in an awful lot of hours. It’s been a job well done. Other clubs have built better and more modern stadiums, with new technologies. This is why there have been projects in the last 20 years to improve Camp Nou, though for different reasons these could not move forward.

“Forty per cent of Camp Nou has not been touched since it was built. A club such as ours should have the best arena in the world. I believe this new Camp Nou will be an icon for the city, one of the most beautiful cities in the world.” Barcelona president, Josep Maria Bartomeu said.

The Catalan club captain, Andres Iniesta, who unveiled the stadium model alongside coach, Luis Enrique added that, “I think it’s a very important step forward for the club, having a stadium like this one will keep on being a reference for one of the best clubs in the world. We’ll enjoy it in different ways, of course – some of us playing and some watching. We’ve been lucky to play at many different stadia, but I think this will be unique.”

Photo Credit: Twitter.com/barcastuff