Barcelona, Bayern Munich Break With Tradition for 23-24 Away Kits – Plus Other Kit Launches Around Europe

Spanish La Liga giants FC Barcelona are breaking with a decades-old tradition with their away kits for 2023-24, made by Nike.

While they used to wear them fairly regularly up until the 1970s, Barça has not worn a white away kit since 1978-79, partly due to the color’s association with El Clásico rivals Real Madrid. But they’ve brought back a white away kit this year, debuting it in a preseason friendly against Premier League side Arsenal at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles on Wednesday, July 26.

The shirt is solid white, with sleeve cuffs that are half red and half blue. They’re inspired by Dutch legend Johan Cruyff, who was instrumental in established the style of football played at Barcelona for decades to come.

The shirt also features a retro version of Barça’s crest, with wider lettering and brighter colors. This version of the crest was used from 1975 to 2002. Cruyff played at Barcelona from 1973 to 1978.

The white shirt is paired with blue shorts and socks with red and blue hoops. Sponsor logos are printed on the shirt in blue.

BAYERN MUNICH – Away

In Germany, Bundesliga powerhouses Bayern Munich are ready to be heard around the world in their new away kit, made by Adidas. The base of the jersey is solid black, but the front has a pattern of pink and green diamonds forming a map of the world “representing the German record champions’ fan clubs around the globe.” Most of the accents on the kit are pink — including the Adidas shoulder stripes, side panels and side/hem taping — while the club crest is monochrome white. The numbers on the back are pink with green outlines.

ASTON VILLA – Away

English Premier League side is calling its 2023-24 away kit, made by Castore, “a visual timeline print that tells the story of the club’s proud journey since our foundation in 1874.” The white shirt features an abstract tonal pattern on the front that contains parts of different lions that represented Aston Villa throughout its existence. The new club crest is rendered in claret and white on the left chest, while a sky blue insert appears at the front of the collar.

REAL BETIS – Third

Spanish La Liga side Real Betis quietly released their 2023-24 third kit, made by Hummel, this week. Like several other club kits made by the Danish manufacturer this season, Betis’ third takes inspiration from the 1986 Danish national team, with narrow tonal stripes all over the black kit. The V-collar is black with a green stripe through the middle, while sponsor logos appear in white.

UD ALMERÍA – Away

Also in La Liga, UD Almería are going in a new direction with their 2023-24 away kit, made by Castore. The shirt is black with a zigzag pattern embossed on the front and sleeves. The V-neck collar and sleeve cuffs are solid black with neon yellow trim. The Castore logo and club crest on the chest are also neon yellow.

AS MONACO – Third

Surf’s up for French Ligue 1 side AS Monaco and their 2023-24 third kit, made by Kappa. The front of the shirt features a gradient blue pattern that represents “where the blue of the Mediterranean Sea meets the white of the Riviera sands.” The break between blue and white also roughly follows the 55-degree diagonal that is incorporated into many of AS Monaco’s kits. The white shade used on the sleeves “evokes the color of the stone of the Oceanographic Museum of Monaco,” where the kit was unveiled and which will receive €5 from the sale of each jersey.

STADE BRESTOIS 29 – Home

Nicknamed “the Pirates,” fellow French side Stade Brestois 29 is ready to brave the high seas of Ligue 1 in their new home kit, made by Adidas. The kit is red with narrow tonal horizontal stripes across the front that are broken up to form a wave pattern. The Adidas shoulder stripes and sponsor logos appear in white. The jock tag features the logo of the Association Fée du Bonheur, an organization based in Brest that benefits sick and hospitalized children in the area.

LILLE OSC – Away

Ligue 1 side Lille OSC is bringing their home fans with them on the road thanks to the pattern on their 2023-24 away kits, made by New Balance. The white kit features a pattern of electric blue and neo-flame red “wave-shaped patterns symbolizing the chants and pulsations of supporters place on a timeline.” The collar is solid white, and an “LOSC” wordmark with a fleur-de-lis appears on the back collar.

STADE DE REIMS – Home and Away

Elsewhere in France, Ligue 1 side Stade de Reims is leaning heavily on history for its 2023-24 home and away kits, made by Umbro. The red home kit has white sleeves and a tonal print inspired by the Reims coat of arms across the front. The light blue away kit, meanwhile, harkens back to an away kit the club wore in 1972-73 with the colors of the French flag — blue, white and red — found in the collar, sleeve cuffs and diagonal pinstripes across the front of the shirt.

AS ROMA – Away

Over in Italy, Serie A side AS Roma’s new away kit, made by Adidas, aims to evoke the classic architecture of the city they call home. The tonal pattern on the front of the cream-colored shirt “reflects some of the main elements of Roman architecture through Corinthian stylistic features, characterized by acanthus leaves and stylized floral patterns.” Accents like the Adidas shoulder stripes, Adidas logo on the chest and “ASR” monogram on the back collar are carbon grey.

CAGLIARI CALCIO – Away

With their 2023-24 away kits made by Eye Sports, Serie A side Cagliari Calcio is honoring their 1993-94 team, which made an impressive run to the semifinals of the UEFA Cup before bowing out to another Italian side, Inter Milan. The shirt is predominantly white, with a blue stripe on the left shoulder and a red stripe on the right shoulder, as well as a sublimated tonal wave texture on the front. The polo collar and sleeve cuffs are evenly split between red and blue. Results from the 1993-94 UEFA Cup run are printed inside the hem, while tonal club crests overlap as they repeat down the side panels.

*Courtesy **@CagliariCalcio** / Twitter*

ACF FIORENTINA – Third

Following the unveiling of their 2023-24 home and away kits, Serie A side ACF Fiorentina keep the floral theme going for their new third kit, made by Kappa. The dark purple base — darker than the purple used on their home kit — features a vertical stripe down the left side of the shirt made up of a “contemporary and abstract design” of stylized lilies in red and purple. More purple and red accents adorn the collar, sleeve cuffs and hem.