In September, Mundo Deportivo published leaked photos of FC Barcelona’s ‘revolutionary’ new kits for the 2022-23 season. One of them is shown to be white, which is the traditional colour of Barca’s fiercest rivals Real Madrid. This could prove to be a cause for controversy if and when the kit is officially released. It is to be noted that these kits were approved by the outgoing president Josep Bartomeu. The current president, Joan Laporta will have his say in the matter from 2023 onwards.
The final home kit design for the 2022/2023 season.
— Barça Universal (@BarcaUniversal) September 18, 2021
— @mundodeportivo pic.twitter.com/Nq3ne1Yukc
The home kit seems to be a dashing combination of Barcelona traditional colours, blue and red, paired with navy blue shorts. This current season’s home kit was met with a lot of criticism from the fans for being unattractive and uninspiring, and it seems that Nike and Barcelona have taken a bold step in a new direction to get the fans back on their side come next season.
— Mundo Deportivo (@mundodeportivo) September 18, 2021
The away kit is a stunning all-gold one, which is to commemorate 30 years since the 1992 Summer Olympics which was held in Barcelona. 2022 also marks the 30th anniversary of the club’s first European Cup title under the legendary Johan Cruyff. The team wore a similarly bright-coloured kit in the final against Sampdoria.
🏴🔵🔴 Define con una palabra la tercera camiseta del FC Barcelona para la temporada 2022-2023
— Mundo Deportivo (@mundodeportivo) September 18, 2021
🤍 ¿Te gusta?https://t.co/dcVDd7iJ8P pic.twitter.com/CuG2b1i7zu
However, the third kit is expected to be the most polarizing. It has a large cross of St. Jordi across the torso and a plain white background. Mundo Deportivo claims the colour is not pure white but rather a ‘sky grey’. The Blaugrana did indeed have a white kit in 1977-78. There’s a famous photo of Johan Cruyff donning it against Aston Villa. Regardless, it remains to be seen how the fans receive this kit.
👕 A concept design of our possible 2022/23 kits, based on various leaks. @Viatore_ #FCB pic.twitter.com/HZnnfAKr53
— Reshad Rahman ✆ (@ReshadRahman_) October 11, 2021
Barcelona and Nike look to have taken a daring step with these new kits. The colours are vibrant and potentially controversial. Apart from the third kit, the home kit has also stirred up some comments about it being ‘too similar to a Levante kit’. With all that has gone on at the club in the last twelve months, Barcelona has to make sure they don’t give the fans and media yet another reason to criticize their already struggling position.