Nike have just the launched the new home and away soccer jerseys for the upcoming 2013-14 season and they have a distinctly Catalan flair about them. The new home jersey is a return to the classic vertical blaugrana stripes that have defined Barca for decades, and for my part, its a welcome departure from last years blendy-fadey shirt. The crest remains the same, as does the Nike logo, and there isn’t any new technology or change in sizing in this years model. Beyond that it seems a safe choice of a jersey for any Barca fan and it retains the UNICEF logo on the lower back.

The away is sure to be a much more controversial choice, and the club may get into hot water with the Spanish FA over it. As some of you know, Barcelona is located in the land of Catalunia, a historically independent state within the boundaries of what is currently Spain. Barcelona is the Catalan capital, an due some current political issues, and the history of the Spanish Civil War, Catalunia want to be independent again, and break away from Spain. This Barcelona away jersey seems to embrace that goal, as its more or less an exact copy of the Catalan national flag. Barca have long been known to align with the independencias as a club, but due to the climate in Spain have stay out of the political fray so far. This jersey represents a pretty strong pro-independence statement to the rest of Spain, and as a result, the Spanish FA may not appreciate it.

That said, these are sharp looking kits, and if you love Barca, or want to start a political discussion with your Spanish friends, the away is a good chose and far better looking than last years orange popsicle kit. These jersey are available now from SoccerPro.com in our Barcelona section.

5 / 5 stars     
 

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