Barcelona have unveiled the shirt for the 2018/19 season

19th May 2018, Piscines de Montjuic, Barcelona, Spain; FC Barcelona Kit Launch for the 2018-2019 season; New FC Barcelona shirt for the 2018-19 season (photo by Pedro Salado/Action Plus via Getty Images)
19th May 2018, Piscines de Montjuic, Barcelona, Spain; FC Barcelona Kit Launch for the 2018-2019 season; New FC Barcelona shirt for the 2018-19 season (photo by Pedro Salado/Action Plus via Getty Images)

Barcelona have gone nationalistic with the 2018/19 shirt

Barcelona have retained their primary colours for the shirt for the 2018/19 season, but have added a special touch of Catalan nationalism, considering that the separatist movement in Catalonia has gained momentum in recent times.

The movement has slowed down, with Catalan President Carles Puigdemont going into exile in Belgium. But the club has reaffirmed its support for the movement by including the colours of the Catalan flag, Senyera in its latest shirt.

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The new shirt will be distinctly different from the last one. The collar is going to be V-neck, and the front portion of the shirt will have 10 alternative stripes of the Blaugrana colours. The previous shirt had unclearly defined Barcelona colours.

This returns to the Luis Enrique-era shirt, when the shirt was strictly regimented into two colours. But it is going to have more stratifications. The shirt’s 10 stripes draws inspiration from the 10 districts of Barcelona, and pays homage to the city which is the base of the Catalan movement.

Andrés Iniesta’s last game for Barça will be in the new shirt, and this symbolises the end of an era. Iniesta’s departure will lead to new things for the club, and the transition period starts when the Blaugrana take on Real Sociedad at the Camp Nou.

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While it is thematically similar to some of the shirts of the 20th century, it will be difficult to draw a direct comparison due to its uniqueness and the utilisation of the Senyera in the shirt.