Barca plans stadium, statue homage to Johan Cruyff

BARCELONA: Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu confirmed on Sunday that a new stadium for the Barca B team will be named after Johan Cruyff and a statue of the Dutch great constructed at the club’s Camp Nou stadium.

Speaking a day after the first anniversary of Cruyff’s death, his son Jordi said the family were “very happy” with the agreement reached with Barcelona.

“It is an honour for me to say the name of the stadium we are building at the training ground will no longer be the Miniestadi, but from now on will be the Johan Cruyff stadium,” said Bartomeu.

“The club will also launch the creation of a commemorative statue in honour of Johan Cruyff which will be placed at the future Camp Nou.”

Major redevelopment work at the Camp Nou is due to start in 2018.

However, Barca have reserved the naming rights on the stadium for a major sponsorship deal to cover the estimated 420 million euros ($453 million) cost of the project.

As part of the redevelopment, the Miniestadi, where Barcelona B currently play just metres away from the Camp Nou, will make way to a new arena for the Barca basketball team and increased commercial space.

Barca B’s new home stadium will be at the club’s training ground on the western outskirts of the city.

Jordi Cruyff also announced the family will donate a Barcelona shirt worn by his father and his Ballon d’Or trophy from the 1973/1974 season to a new Cruyff exhibition at the Barcelona museum.

“It is an agreement by which my father will always be present at the club that he loved,” said Jordi Cruyff.

Johan Cruyff was one of Barcelona’s greatest ever players and coaches, winning 13 trophies in all including the club’s first ever European Cup as coach in 1992.