The Catalan government says fans will not be allowed to the Camp Nou to watch Barcelona’s Champions League opener against Ferencvaros.

Marca reports that the Spanish club were hoping to welcome a smaller number of fans on October 20 but that option seems to be inappropriate according to the Catalan health minister Alba Verges and health secretary Josep Maria Argimon who appeared on RAC1 on Thursday to announce the verdict.

"We can't go ahead with it at the moment," Argimon said.

"It might well be possible to spread out 1,000 fans within the stadium in a socially distanced manner, but it's more the before and after of the game, where fans would undoubtedly be in closer proximity [in and around the stadium].

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"That wouldn't be the image we want to portray."

Josep Maria highlighted that matches played behind closed doors is not likely to affect the entire season but it’s too early to introduce fans next week due to the danger of the spread of the virus.

"We can't say that this will be the case for the rest of the season, but in regard to the October 20 date, we can't agree to that," she said.

Barca will play Getafe on Saturday before hosting the Hungarian professional football on home soil.

They will then engage Real Madrid in the El Clasico on October 24, 2020.