In what has to be one of the most low-key drops for the upcoming season so far, Nike have launched the Barcelona 20/21 home shirt. The design features a look that's inspired by the 2011 Champions League winning shirt as well as the club's successful 1920s period, and it’s set to debut in the derby against Espanyol on 8 July.
It’s been 10 years since Barcelona beat Manchester United in the Champions League final at Wembley, and that moment has helped to serve as inspiration for the Catalonian club’s new home shirt for the 2020/21 season. Mirroring the shirt design from 2010/11 – a season of success that along with their fifth Champions League title also saw them lift their third consecutive La Liga title – the new shirt has a yellow crew-neck collar and two red stripes on the front, back and sleeves.
Acting as a point of difference, the stripes are bordered by yellow pinstripes, and these are borrowed from another period of success, specifically the shirts of the 1920s. A halftone gradient effect across the red and blue stripes lends a deep texture to the shirt, which is set to be worn for the first time in the derby with Espanyol on 8 July.
Reports from Barcelona have suggested that there has been a dispute between Barcelona and Nike regarding the quality of the replica versions of the shirts, with indications being that the colour has a tendency to run, although this has not been officially confirmed by either camp. But this could explain why the shirt release has come somewhat out of the blue, with little support from the club themselves.
Pick up the Barcelona 20/21 home shirt from prodirectsoccer.com
