Pedri, Sergio Busquets, Jordi Alba, and Eric García may be out of the Euros, but they won’t have much time to rest because the new season kicks off in just over a month. Pedri should also miss all of or most of the preseason due to his commitments at the Olympics, and here’s hoping that he gets the rest he deserves at some point. Meanwhile, Lionel Messi’s contract (as well as the wage bill in total) is being worked on and Ansu Fati is close to gracefully our screens again soon.
This year’s jersey is all the crest. The entire front is modeled after the crest itself, with St. George’s Cross sitting over the top right of the shirt and the four red stripes of Catalonia sitting behind the actual crest. FC Barcelona explained it a bit better via their website:
“The top quarters contain the St. George’s Cross, representing the patron saint of Catalonia and which is also present in the coat of arms of the city of Barcelona, and the Catalan flag. The bottom quarters contain the colours of the Club and a ball, which is central to the crest and the BARÇA style of play.”
At its unveiling on June 15th at the Camp Nou, president Joan Laporta had a few more things to say about the newest jersey. “This shirt reflects everything that is in our crest — the pride to be a Barça, to be part of Barcelona, the city, and to be from Catalonia.” He went on, “We are a country of people who believe in diversity and freedom, and we believe in the importance of giving value to our culture. … We are proud of being different.”
The responses of the jersey have been mixed, with some saying that the design by Nike is overdoing it. Yet, as is always the case on the Internet, negative opinions are always the loudest. Many may change their tune when Fati is kissing the crest after a goal in El Clásico. Jerseys are available now!
Just in case the jersey isn’t your speed, make sure to check out plenty of the other Barcelona-related items available. Last year’s Antoni Gaudí-inspired warm-up kit in particular has grown on me quite a bit since its release.