Today, UEFA confirmed that both UCL Finalists, FC Barcelona and Juventus, will be using their home kits in the battle for the UEFA Champions League trophy in Berlin on June 6, 2015. This is significant both because both competitors get to wear their iconic home kits and also because both clubs have such classic and traditional designs that define their players and history. It will be an all-Nike and all-stripes affair in the final and now is the perfect time to pick up the home jersey of either team!
Tag: barcelona
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Valencia ambassador in the Green Room
Valencia ambassador in the mixed-zone tells the story about his favorite teams
-Why do you support your current favorite club ?
Arsenal and Barcelona along with Bilbao and Valencia (+ spain, dutch and french national teams). I also follow Sevilla and Tottenham, though since there are only so many hours in the day I don’t follow them as closely. I think the common bond is inventive play (excluding France and, surprisingly, holland this last world cup – I followed Holland since the early 90’s and this past team was a bunch of thugs that had nothing in common with the euro 2008 team and the WC team of 98 – the team with davids, bergkamp, stam, the brothers de boer, overmars, etc?).
-Which piece of advice would you offer your club if you were present at a board meeting ?
I’m not very good with this type of question. I guess, maintain an emphasis on winning but not at the expense of creative play (because there are plenty of italian style teams already).
-What is the low point of the club while you have followed it ?
Newcastle’s comeback vs. Arsenal January/Feb 2011. Arsenal seemed primed to challenge for the league, champions league, etc. and that was the moment it all came undone. Barcelona’s loss to Inter in the Champions league a few seasons back. Not only did Inter not have the courage to actually play the game, Bojan’s last minute score to bring barca back from the brink was disallowed (the calls always go against poor mourinho, or so he continues to insist).
-What is the high point ?
Barcelona’s 5-0 win last season and comeback win last December vs Madrid. Arsenal’s entertaining play in the winter of 2010.
-Which is/are your favorite jersey(s) from your club ?
Barcelona’s anniversary jersey 3 or 4 years ago. Nice collar, straight forward stripes and no “qatar foundation” (and similarly detalied jersey’s a few other years around that time). Recent shirts have gotten lame (please get rid of that bland crew collar).
-When you were a kid which player would you like to become ? or who was your favorite player ?
I actually played lacrosse as a kid and young adult and started getting into soccer after my playing days were past. I’ve always liked the playmakers – iniesta and xavi, of course, but guys like jesus navas (his was the charge up the right wing that led to the spainish wc win), overmars (in years past) and others.
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FC Barcelona ambassador speaks out
FC Barcelona ambassador talks in the Green Room
Q&A with MM Sports’ Barca ambassador Gerard A. Banez
-Why do you support your current favorite club ?
(1) I support Barca because of its attractive, possession-oriented, tiki-taka style of play; its commitment to youth dev’t and policy of developing and promoting its youth team players; and the club’s commitment to huminatarian values & efforts.
-Which piece of advice would you offer your club if you were present at a board meeting?
(2) With all the club’s success over the past several yrs, the board must be doing a lot of things right. If there was one suggestion I would give, it would be to incorporate more B-team players into La Liga games during the regular season. La Liga games would provide good opportunity to the B players, enhancing their dev’t and providing them with the experience needed to contribute when they play more regularly. I think the B players would be hungry and provide good energy. This practice would also give the starters some rest and possibly eliminate some of the complacency and pedestrian efforts that have been seen this yr. I have no doubt that Barca is still the best in the world, but I doubt that they will win La Liga this yr because of these issues. The team will play well in big games, like a CL final, but struggle in less important ones. A sprinkling of B players now and again could help in the present and also serve as an investment in the future.
-What is the low point of the club while you have followed it?
(3) Not many lows, but I would point to the slips against inferior squads, mostly in La Liga this yr.
-What is the high point ?
(4) Highs would definitely include the many championships won. This yr alone would include the run from the CL final, the Super Cups, to the FIFA Club World Cup. Moreover, I would point to the commitment and execution of the Barca style of play and the joy that team members appear to have playing with one another.
-Which is/are your favorite jersey(s) from your club ?
(5) Xavi & Iniesta.
-When you were a kid which player would you like to become ? or who was your favorite player ?
(6) Growing up in the US when there was very little soccer, I still remember getting caught up in Pele & the NY Cosmos of the old NASL. I also liked an American soccer player, probably the best of that era, by the name of Kyle Rote Jr. If I could turn back the hands of time, I would love to grow up to be Xavi or Iniesta, who, in my opinion, are the two best midfielders in the world. If only my body would cooperate.
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FC Barcelona jerseys 2012-13
FC Barcelona jerseys 2012-13
For the season 2012-13 FC Barcelona will get 2 new jerseys.
A blue-red home jersey.
An orange-yellow away jersey.
Furthermore there will be 2 new goalie jerseys.
A black home jersey.
A navy/blue away jersey.
The black away jersey for the season 2011-12 will continue as the 3rd jersey for the season 2011-12.
The new design for the home jersey goes in the opposite direction from what was the design of the season 11-12.
There will be 3 broad stripes with blurred edges.
The away jersey will also make use of the design model with the blurred edges. Here the integration in pattern will not be horizontally though but rather vertically. Top of the jersey being orange edging towards yellow at the bottom.
The name and number kit for the home jersey will almost certainly be yellow.
For the away jersey one might suspect that the color would be navy.
For the black third jersey (carry-over) the name and number kit will continue to be yellow.
FC Barcelona jersey World Club Champions badge
FC Barcelona won the FIFA World Club Championship in December of 2011. This gives the club the right to wear a special badge until December of 2012. The badge is called the FIFA World Club Champions badge.
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To the left arm sleeve Barcelona wears a sponsor logo from the Catalan TV station TV3. The first Catalan TV station to broadcast exclusively in Catalan. During the time when Barca did not have a sponsor logo on the jersey this would be the only commercial content on the jersey (apart from the logo of the athletic apparel sponsor).
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On the right arm sleeve Barcelona has the LFP badge from the Spanish league. When they play Champions League football this badge is replaced by the UEFA Starball badge. This is the only change though. Jersey, WCC badge, TV3 badge, shirt sponsor + name and number kit all remain the same.
For retail all jerseys come with the LFP sleeve badge pre-printed though. It is usually sewn on while some times it can be printed. The badge for the retail jerseys is slightly smaller than the one worn on the pitch by the players.
2011-2012 FCB Training Jersey
By FC Barcelona ambassador Gerard Banez
This is the jersey that you see Messi and the rest of the FCB gang wear prior to game time. As much I like to identify with those guys, I fall short of putting this shirt on during the pregame and switching to the game shirt once play begins. That said, I really like this jersey and find it a versatile piece of soccer fashion. It’s a good piece of casual wear for activities like running errands or cheering on your kids as they play. The shirt allows me to support FCB in a way more subtle than donning the game jersey. It looks like it may also be a great workout shirt, but it feels too nice for me to use in that way.
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The Look
Like all the FCB merchandise I have reviewed or purchased, this jersey is relatively simple in design but stylish. My favorite features are the red & yellow ribbed neck/sleeve cuffs and stripe across the center of the shirt. They contrast well with the black body of the jersey. Also of note is the screened FCB on the back of the jersey. Just in case people don’t recognize the badge on the front, the FCB provides another clue as to who I root for.
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The Cut
This shirt fits just like the authentic & replica game jersey. I prefer a slightly looser fit, and the size ‘L’ training jersey fits just like the ‘L’ game jerseys.
The Feel
Like the other FCB jerseys, this shirt is made of Nike Dri-Fit fabric. The fabric appears to be thinner and of a lesser weight than the game jersey fabric, but it has substance and seems durable. The fabric will do well in warmer temperatures and is very comfortable.
Bottom Line
Another excellent piece of FCB merchandise and a good alternative to game jersey. I can see this one quickly becoming one of my favorites because it looks so nice and is appropriate to wear in many different situations.
Review: 2010-2011 FC Barcelona Home Jersey
By Gerard Banez
Why does one buy last year’s model of your favorite team’s game jersey? In this review, I will share some general thoughts on this topic, as well as more specific comments on the 2010-2011 FC Barcelona home jersey.
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The Cost
Sometimes, but not always, last year’s jersey doesn’t cost as much as the current model. When marked down, the older jersey represents a better value. Jerseys usually don’t change much from year to year, and having the most recent version, especially if a lot more expensive, isn’t really necessary.
The Look
Another reason to buy last year’s jersey is the look. From the first time I saw it, I liked the 2010-2011 FCB home jersey. I have always liked the primary colors, and this jersey features yellow much more than past versions of the FCB jersey. The yellow ribbed collar and sleeves stand out and complement the traditional bold red and blue striping well. Another reason I liked this jersey is that I always admired the fact that FCB did not feature a shirt sponsor and, for several years, actually paid UNICEF to feature their logo. The UNICEF logo is prominently featured front and center on this jersey, which was the last sponsorless jersey before FCB negotiated its current Qatar Foundation deal. Mes que un club (more than a club) is on the left shirt sleeve, and tots units fem forca (all together we are strong) is on the inside of the jersey behind the FCB badge.
The Team
A third reason to buy an older jersey is to recognize and honor the team that wore the shirt. The 2010-2011 version of FCB is arguably the best ever Barcelona side (in my opinion, better than the 2008-2009 treble-winning group). Some have even argued that it may have been the best club side of all time. In comparison to the 2008-2009 group, the first under Guardiola’s leadership, the 2010-2011 side played an even better form of the Tiki Taka style that their coach encouraged. This side featured the incomparable Lionel Messi as well as the other two 2010 Ballon D’Or finalists, Xavi Hernandez and Andres Iniesta (all graduates of the famed La Masia, FCB’s youth academy). Multiple members of the 2010 World Cup championship team from Spain played their club soccer at FCB.
Bottom Line
In sum, the 2010-2011 FCB home jersey is a very good looking shirt, and the team that wore the shirt was one of the best ever. If you like attractive, colorful soccer jerseys and want to recognize one of the winningest sides ever, get one of these before they are no longer available. This shirt is and will be a classic.
Final Words
If you read my review of the 2011-2012 FCB away jersey, it is useful to note that the 2011-2012 jersey was a replica version whereas the 2010-2011 FCB home jersey that I review here is an authentic version. Comparing the two side-by-side, there is very little that distinguishes them. One difference I noticed was that the authentic was shipped in a cardboard box, while the replica came in a plastic bag. The other difference is that the authentic has a vented seam along the sides of the jersey. Otherwise, the fabric, feel, details & colors appear to be the same. The many similarities and few differences suggest that purchasing a replica jersey may provide better value than buying the authentic version.
Review: FC Barcelona away jersey 11-12
By MM Sports’ FC Barcelona ambassador Ph.D Gerard A. Banez, Ohio, USA
Introduction:
So, after another year of collecting more domestic and international titles, what does FC Barcelona do to top its most recent successes? On the pitch, the club adds more rising stars, like Sanchez & Fabregas, to ensure that it continues to win titles in the future. Off the field, the 2011-2012 campaign kicks off with another line of stylish & contemporary Barca merchandise. My focus here will be the new 2011-2012 Black Away jersey.
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The Look
My first reaction to this jersey was that it looks a lot better in person than it does on the website. I like the color black as much as anyone, but, to me, the black jersey looked boring on the website when compared to the mint, orange, and yellow of past Barca away jerseys. Seeing the jersey, though, changed my opinion. The 2011-12 Black Away jersey is very stylish & contemporary in appearance. The black is sharp. The jersey features a unique and attractive neckline (see photo). The dark grey striping on the sleeves (photo) adds to its sporty appearance. As far as the Qatar Foundation logo, I know that many supporters have strong feelings about Barca taking on any logo. Though I won’t try to change your opinions on this, what I can say is that the Qatar logo isn’t that bad. It is subtle and distinctive in appearance and does not jump out or detract from the overall look. The “good” logo, the Unicef logo, is now on the bottom half of the back of the jersey, beneath the player number. Mes que un club (more than a club) is on the inside of the back collar, and tots units fem forca (all together we are strong) is in its familiar place on the inside of the jersey behind the FCB badge.
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The Cut
This jersey runs about true to size. It fits much like my 2010-2011 Barca home jersey. It is a Nike jersey, and, in my experience, the Nike jerseys are more relaxed and not as fitting as the Adidas jerseys. I personally like their more relaxed fit.
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The Feel
The jersey is made in Nike Dri Fit fabric. I have always liked the texture and substance of Dri Fit and prefer that it is not as clingy as Clima Cool.
Bottom Line
In a very short time, I anticipate that the 2011-2012 Black Away FC Barcelona jersey will emerge as one of my favorite soccer shirts. It is sharp, and it is sporty. In black, the shirt is more dressy and not as jersey-like, giving it added versatility. I highly recommend this jersey to any Barca fan and to anyone who likes good-looking, well-made soccer merchandise. It represents yet another FCB victory.
Review: FC Barcelona women’s away jersey 11-12
By MM Sports women’s apparel ambassador Katie Scharra
This season’s Barcelona away jersey is my first women’s apparel jersey, as I usually either wear a youth size or men’s. I was very impressed with the fit of this jersey, and it has many features that makes it fit with a stylish and comfortable look. The darts that run up the sides make it flattering to the female figure, and it looks incredibly fashionable. Sizing does run a bit small since it is a Nike jersey, and I found that it was a bit too snug around my shoulders making it not very useful to work out in. I would, however, defiantly wear it to my weekly kick-about as the Nike Dri- Fit technology is very impressive and keeps me cool while wearing it. The style of the jersey is an all black style, which at first I thought I would find to be a bit boring, but with the personalization added to the back the jersey became a whole new look.
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As well as added extra value, the personalization was very well applied and withstood the washing machine. I can very easily wear it any day of the week with a pair of jeans or shorts, but as for the lazy weekend at home I would stick to the comfort of a men’s jersey. The only negative feedback I got from other fans on the new club look was that the design of the sponsor, the Qartar Foundation, on the front seems less exciting than the old Unicef front. This could be because it is a bit smaller on the front for the women’s style to make it more flattering. All in the detail I suppose. As for my opinion on the new look and my newly found love for women’s jerseys? I am completely sold on the female jersey as the fit is excellent and it is stylish enough to wear everyday while the Dri-Fit makes it great to play in, and although it is a simple black a personalization on the back makes it as exciting as it is sleek.
Katie Scharra / Michigan State