Few opponents have been able to slow Barcelona. But Nike may have inadvertently managed to do just that -- with shirts that absorb too much sweat. A shirt that weighed 200 grams at the beginning of a match can weigh up to two-and-a-half times as much just 45 minutes later.
The Spanish champions say they have recently met with Nike officials to complain about the new shirts. The team contends the shirts absorb so much moisture they take on added weight over the course of a game.
Dressing room sources told El País that players noticed during a pre-season tour of the US that the shirt "weighed a tonne" and "stuck to the body like a limpet".
They hoped the problem would not persist when they returned to the more forgiving weather conditions in Spain, but on Friday the club called a meeting with Nike to seek solutions.
Nike said it has begun testing the shirt. "Nike's product team is working to address concerns with the FCB home jersey," a spokeswoman said.
"All product concerns are treated with the utmost importance and a solution is expected when all appropriate testing is completed."
Major clubs can sell more than 1m shirts a year, and Barcelona had said this season's design looked set to break records.
The much-vaunted eco-friendly pitch shirt, said to use the recycled plastic of a dozen water bottles in a single garment, reportedly uses a version of Nike's Dri-Fit fabric, made of polyester microfibres to help wearers stay dry and comfortable.
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Comments
well its a gorgeous day in blackpool and probly all over england so i dont know what your talking about
different material, maybe
Its never never ever the same type of shirt as the players wear, either way why on earth would you want to wear a barcelona shirt
Ironically, those @%$# attitudes displayed from majority of the athletes or movie stars or singers nowadays who chose those kind of careers which can only blossom during this peaceful era were cultivated, encouraged then tolerated, ironically, exactly by many of us - ones who earn much less than those aforementioned pricks and never will catch their achievements thus justify our values.
You are sick and tired of those ingrates' unappreciative attitudes in general? How about stop spending too much on anything affiliate towards them? Stop buying those shirts or merchandise; don't pay extra to watch the game, like ordering pay-per-view, buy rate-inflated tickets, stop asking for the autograph. In short, treat them like dirt, being stingy.
With that said, Nike introduced their shirts made of recycled materials. I'm not the least bit surprised hearing this from any club that uses Nike, however. The quality of the fabric is more than noticeably inferior to any of the competition. The shirts feel like fabric over soft plastic.
Nevertheless, I do agree with some of the views expressed here. There are plenty of other things to worry about and it's not like the shirts are causing a rash or anything.
I'll shut up now.
Yet 30 or so years ago when shirts were made from 100% itchy, clingy, mega-tight NYLON, no-one complained
40 or so years ago when shirts were made from 100% heavy COTTON (and in some cases Cashmere), no-one complained.
These players should try playing a game in those materials, not to mention chafingly tight nylon shorts that looked more like hotpants and then we'll see what they prefer.
Some of those ungrateful shits should just get their legs severed, see what they gonna complaint THEN.
You forgot to mention the leather ball, with reain like the one in the photo it got heavier...
Those leather balls were like medicine balls when they got wet. Plus the lace, you would have a huge gaping hole in your head if you headered a ball away and you made contact with the lace.
And no, the Barca shirt you can buy is not the player's version.
meant to say no other nike teams are complaining about the shirts. didnt mean for the double negative
I know that the player's shirt is a different material, but having inspected the replica version even that looks as though it'd be uncomfortable to wear. Arsenal shirts always look to be made of quite comfortable material, can anyone confirm?
I also couldn't help but notice that the Arsenal away shirts during the Benfica pre-season friendly were quite 'clingy'...
No wonder they don't like the shirts, there's a bad vibe about them, a club which was built on humanitarian values sold out to a group that sponsors terrorism. I would throw up if I was made to play football with the logo of terrorists on my shirt.
Umbro raised the bar with design and manufacture and adidas have followed the same route.
How ironic that Nike sacked Martin Prothoroe at Umbro, perhaps they should have got rid of some of their underperforming own staff first.
you do know the nike/ adidas ratio? nike has adidas beat. but really everyone here is just basically censoreding about brand loyalty. You do know that Nike and Adidas use the exact same material, the exact same technology made by basically the same people. all this really is is just which name, which logo, sounds and looks better. there is absolutely no difference at all. just like the Iphone syndrome. people think that just because its a iphone its automatically the best phone in the world.
most people dislike nike because its american brand. but thats coporations for you, theyre all the same, they just sing different songs.
Fair point, we all have brand favourites.
However our club has just started a supply deal with Nike after 4 seasons with Umbro and the difference in quality is unbelievable. Umbro were far superior in design, manufacture and quality of materials compared to Nike.
but on a serious note....italy shirts for wc 2006....now that material was poor....but they won the wc anyways......
why complain...deal with it..
That isn't at all relevant...
Adidas' best "material" was used for their 2006 jerseys, the year Chelsea and Liverpool switched over, and the year of the Germany WC. 2 years later the Euro 2008 Adidas jerseys were noticeably less comfortable. Same with the Euro 2004 jerseys.
This is actually a major issue that Barca are right to complain about. Whatever is said about the players attitudes, blessings etc, they are top level athletes and are looking for that extra 0.1% of benefit from everything available to them to perform at their ultimate level - which is what the fans and owners and management will be putting pressure on them to do all the time. Nike are not contributing to that by giving them bin bags to play in.
If i supplied something like this, I would expect to be asked to replace it. I had an interview for a Nike soccer job some years ago, didn't get it, but if you still want me guys...........I am in Asia and ready to help........
Barcelona