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          Barcelona release new Clasico kit to be worn for clash vs. Real Madrid at Bernabeu

          • Chris Wright, Toe Poke writerJan 27, 2021, 12:00 PM

          Barcelona's matches against bitter rivals Real Madrid are always the biggest fixtures in the Spanish football calendar, and the Catalan club will mark the next instalment of El Clasico by wearing a special jersey.

          Jump to: Liverpool, Chelsea, Tottenham drop new streetwear ranges

          When Barca walk out at the Bernabeu to face La Liga's reigning champions in April, they will be wearing a one-off shirt that has been created specially for that match.

          As modelled by former captain Carles Puyol. himself a veteran of many a hard-fought Clasico, the new shirt sees Barca's famous "blaugrana" (red and blue) stripes combined with the colours of the Catalan flag (the red and yellow of the "Senyera").

          Puyol launched the new jersey with a stirring video posted on social media, in which he tells fans: "If you need reasons to give it your all in times as hard as this, don't look outside. They are within each of us. They are in our character, which has been forged in this earth. They are in the pride of a job well done and of being, each day, a little better.

          "No one is going to give us anything. But we don't need it. Millions of us have come this far, alone. So, in times as hard as this, if you need reasons to go out there, look for them in the feeling that we all share, and in the flag that unites us."

          Barca have adopted the Senyera design for the basis of several alternate strips in the past, most recently for last season's fourth-choice kit, but this is the first time that both sets of colours have been combined on the same shirt.

          The limited edition jersey has been launched with the motto "Una samarreta ens agermana" ("One shirt unites us") and will be worn by Lionel Messi & Co. when they travel to Madrid for the next Clasico, which is scheduled for the weekend of April 10-11. It's available via the club's online store for €145 ($175).

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          Barca's kit manufacturers Nike are one of those at the forefront of extending their merchandise ranges even further by adding all sorts of designer, retro and collaborative shirts to their rosters. This week, as part of the new Nike Air Max Club Collection, several Premier League sides have been furnished with new special-edition shirts, all of which are inspired by classic sneakers of the 1980s and 1990s.

          Liverpool's Jordan Henderson and Melissa Lawley unveiled their club's nifty little pinstripe number, inspired by the Air Max 90 OG in their iconic "Infrared" colourway. An oversized retro Nike Air logo replaces the standard manufacturer symbol, with the stripes making the shirt look like something a professional baseball team might have worn 20 years ago.

          Chelsea's limited-edition shirt is an ode to the Nike Air Max 180 sneaker in "Ember glow and Ultramarine" drab, which we're informed is "representative of the creativity and cultural imprints within the city of London." Blues stars Christian Pulisic and Sam Kerr are on modelling duty for the new collection, which also includes a matching 90s-infused tracksuit.

          Last but by no means least, Tottenham Hotspur duo Eric Dier and Jessica Naz have a new shirt which is styled to resemble the Air Max 95 with its fading grey gradient and eye-popping neon flashes.

          The jersey is intended to embody "the synergy between Nike sneaker heritage and North London culture" which is said to be perfect for the streets of N17 -- Spurs' London post code.

          While they won't be worn by the teams on the pitch, each of the Nike Air Max Club Collection shirts come with a corresponding lifestyle collection, with matching jackets, t-shirts, etc, also available to flesh out the fit.