Squares are the new stripes for Barcelona heading into the 2019/20 season as Nike depart from tradition to re-design the club's home shirt with a checkboard print inspired by the gridded streetscape of Barcelona’s Eixample district.
It's a bold move to tackle tradition with a fresh aesthetic, but style can never be stale and Nike have mixed things up for Barca heading into the 19/20 season. The city's Example neighbourhood pulses with creativity, and its residents are acknowledged as the building blocks of the city’s future. That's the inspiration behind the checkboard.
This ain't the first time Barcelona have experimented with change; for the 2015/16 season the club swapped its traditional stripes for hoops, and the checkboard design is just the second shift from the club’s norm and provides a fresh interpretation of Barca’s world famous colours. The jersey’s V-neck collar is decorated by the stripes of the Catalan flag (well into that), and blue shorts and blue socks topped with a red trim wrap things up if you were wondering.
“Barça’s DNA goes beyond football. We are proud to represent these colors and spread the city’s name around the world" says Sergi Roberto. "This design reflects our link with the city of Barcelona and identifies us with where we come from, the place where we grew and learnt until getting to the top level."
Will it split opinion? Definitely. For fans of Barcelona it will cause a stir, but for the neutral it's refreshing to see new direction. Ask yourself if you'd swap your club's stripes for a checkboard pattern and you might discover your true opinion on it. Ivan Rakitic will like it anyway.
Influential figures from Barcelona’s broad sporting spectrum joined FC Barcelona’s players and pioneers from the fields of fashion, science, food, music and art to unveil the kit and celebrate their shared spirit, culture and identity. These include: scientists Marie-Eve Beaulieu & Laura Souek, entrepreneur Diana Ballart, photographer Berta Vicente, chef Carlota Claver, artist Albert Barque, architect David Andres, mathematician Xavi Ros-Oton, illustrator Amaia Arrazola & designer Wekafore.
Pick up the Barcelona 2019/20 Home Shirt at prodirectsoccer.com
