Always one of the biggest releases of the summer, Nike and Barcelona have officially unveiled the new look home strip for the European heavyweights for the 2017/18 season.
Bringing a significant design shift from the 2016/17 strip, the updated Nike jersey features an all new stripe design, replacing the more classically themed and evenly-spaced Blaugrana stripes of last season. Varying in size as the stripes fade from the centre of the jersey, it's a new look and one that's a significant departure from the club’s classic broad stripes and style.
Japan's biggest e-commerce company Rakuten replace Qatar Airways in one of football's biggest shirt sponsorships that will earn Barcelona at least £188m over the next four seasons.
With its fading stripes, the jersey has a familiar look to the 2012/13 design, while there's also a return to slightly darker shades of blue and red. A Catalan flag once again runs round the neck, while further detailing is visible with “Força” on the inner right sleeve and “Barça” on the left of the 2017/18 Barcelona home jersey. The sides of the kit feature a dark red stripe that runs the length of the Blaugrana shirt and blue shorts. Expanding when the player is in motion, the stripe maximizes ventilation.
Blue socks, incorporating Nike Grip technology, feature “Barça” on the front in contrasting gold, and a distinctive linear on the back of the calf, showcasing the club’s red accent color and accentuating speed. Tech-wise, the kit uses new AeroSwift technology making them 10% lighter, with 50% more stretch than last season’s kits. They use a new, textured high-performance yarn that wicks sweat from the skin 20% faster ever before, while drying 25% faster. The shirt and shorts are also constructed using a new knitting process that integrates single and double knit to enhance breathability, stretch and fit.
Expect to get a first look of the kit in action when Barcelona travel to the USA this summer where they will play three high profile friendly matches in three different venues across the states as part of International Champions Cup 2017 US edition. Barcelona will start the tour with opening game against Juventus in New York on 22nd July followed by Manchester United on 26th July in Washington DC, before playing in what will be one of the most lucrative friendly games of all time against Real Madrid in Miami on 29th July.
The 2017/18 FC Barcelona home kit will be available from June 1.
