Goli Innocent 
Barcelona have concluded plans to wear white for the first time in 44 years when they face Arsenal in Los Angeles on Wednesday after unveiling their new away shirt.
Barca said the switch to the colour, which is strongly associated with their rivals Real Madrid, “pays tribute” to club legend Johan Cruyff.
“Based on the second kit worn by the club during the 1970s, the jersey is predominantly white, featuring red and blue stripes on the sleeves,” according to the club’s website.
“The pioneering figure of Cruyff has provided the inspiration for this kit. Players like (Paulino) Alcantara, [Josep] Samitier, Cesar [Rodriguez] and (Laszlo) Kubala, among others, also wore a white jersey with the club between the 1920s and 1970s.”
The last time Barca wore the colour competitively was in a 1979 European Cup Winners’ Cup tie against Ipswich Town.
There has been speculation in the past that the Catalan side would opt for a white change strip, although they have previously steered away from it due to its link to Rivals Real Madrid.
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However, President Joan Laporta gave kit manufacturers Nike the go-ahead to produce the white away shirt for the 2023-24 season.
“It’s not all white,” Laporta told Mondo Depotivo. “It has some blue and red detail on the sleeve and it’s in memory of one of the first shirts Cruyff wore at the club.
“The commercial brands have studied this very carefully. When we were elected, it was a decision that had to be made and we believe that a colour should not be anyone’s patrimony. In any case, it is Barca white.”
Barca have occasionally worn white as their away shirt, including several times during the 1970s, when club legend Cruyff first joined as a player from Ajax later going on to revolutionise the club as head coach.
After 1979, though, the club took the decision to move away from the colour. Away kits since have come in a range of shades, including yellow, orange, grey, blue, black and turquoise, among others.
Barca’s home kit for the new season remains more familiar, with their traditional red and blue stripes, albeit with an inclination to their Women’s team.
A shimmering diamond graphic has been set into the famous club badge as a reference to the shape of the original crest first used by FC Barcelona Femeni over 50 years ago.
