Barcelona opened their new ‘Estadi Johan Cruyff’ last week, the home of the Barça B and women’s teams, as well as the U19 side when they play in European competitions.
The new facility pays tribute to the ‘father’ of the unique style of play that has characterised Barça throughout the world and was one of the main drivers of the club’s commitment to its own youth football system. With this spirit in mind, the opening ceremony included the stadium’s first match, between the Barça and Ajax youth teams, the two clubs that most defined Cruyff’s career.
The president of FC Barcelona, Josep Maria Bartomeu, was accompanied by several representatives from the Barça squad, including coach Ernesto Valverde, Lionel Messi, Gerard Piqué, Sergio Busquets, and Sergi Roberto, as well as the Barça Women player Marta Torrejón, as well as Patrick Kluivert, the director of youth football.
The event was also attended by Johan Cruyff’s family, including his son Jordi Cruyff, and some of the members of the ‘Dream Team’ who played under the Dutchman, when he was the Barca manager.
The opening of the stadium follows on from Monday’s unveiling of the statue of Johan Cruyff on the esplanade outside the Camp Nou grandstand which pays permanent tribute to the Barça legend.
