Barcelona Overhauls Ticketing Tech After Access Breakdown At Alavés Match

FC Barcelona says it has fully resolved the technical malfunction that disrupted access to the Spotify Camp Nou ahead of the 29 November fixture against Alavés, and has implemented system improvements aimed at preventing any repeat of the incident.

At a late-night press conference on Wednesday, general manager Manel del Río appeared alongside operations director Joan Sentelles, technology director Miriam Ferrando, and representatives from partner companies Devoteam Spain, SlashMobility and T-Systems. The group outlined the findings of an audit launched immediately after the failure, which had caused long queues and access issues for members.

Ferrando explained that the problem stemmed from an unexpected spike in system requests around 12:30pm on matchday, overloading the platform. “The system has been optimised so this does not happen again,” she said, noting that the club has reinforced its IT configuration to manage high-demand scenarios.

Despite the problem being addressed, Barcelona says monitoring and upgrades will continue as fans gradually return to the stadium during ongoing redevelopment works. For Tuesday’s game against Atlético Madrid, 77% of members entered using the Socios app, a figure that club partner Jordi de Juan described as “evidence that the socios app is working correctly” and clear proof that the previous issues have been rectified.

Del Río stressed that the club’s priority is restoring confidence among its members. “We have worked day and night. We are happy, but we are focused on ensuring members feel assured and that this problem does not reoccur,” he said. He also committed to supporting anyone affected by the incident, adding that “the Club will act fairly and identify each and every one of the cases to provide solutions individually. The Barcelona Supporter Services Office is working day and night to resolve everything.”

Club officials also reiterated their determination to eradicate ticket resales, framing the digital ticketing transition as an essential step in that process. Ferrando emphasised that the shift to digital formats “is nothing new” and forms part of the broader technological transformation underway at the club. Del Río echoed this, stating that Barcelona is “fully immersed on the path towards leaving physical formats behind and going fully digital.”

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