Why did Barcelona wear white shorts?

The defeat against Las Palmas on November 30th will still be a historic match for Barcelona. Firstly, because during the match they were able to use 17 players in total, one more than the usual 11 starters plus 5 possible substitutions. This was made possible thanks to the referee Adrian Cordero Vega's decision not to count the substitution involving Alejandro Balde. The Barcelona defender was replaced in the first half due to a hard collision. Once it was determined that Balde had to be substituted due to a possible head injury, the referee applied a little-known rule that allows LaLiga teams to make a "free" substitution in the event of a head injury. This substitution did not count towards the 5 substitutions allowed for coach Hansi Flick, who ended up using all 5 in the second half, for a total of 17 players.

A visually striking occasion, Barcelona's latest game versus Las Palmas will stand out in memory due to the team's choice of white shorts paired with their classic Blaugrana jerseys. This match was held during the celebrations of the club's 125th anniversary, prompting the management to pay tribute to the team's roots. When Barcelona was established in 1899, the original kit included white shorts to contrast with the bluish hues of the shirt and socks. For this special occasion, Nike created custom shorts, that’s because none of the kits created for this season featured white shorts. These shorts were designed in line with this season's trend, incorporating colored inserts, specifically, a small red section and a blue section on either side.

Going back to the history of the white shorts, they were abandoned by Barcelona early on but have always been a curious aesthetic in the club's history. And speaking of curiosities, it is probably the first time in the history of football that a team has worn special shorts to celebrate an anniversary, instead of a jersey. Although in this case, it could be said that the Home jersey for the 2024/25 season was designed as a tribute to the club's 125 years. Finally, the match against Las Palmas will also be remembered for the introduction of Barcelona's new mascot, CAT. According to the official statement that accompanied its launch, CAT is a wild cat, a native feline of Catalonia that best represents the club's values. Its creation was entrusted to Grangel Studio, a production studio based in Barcelona that has also collaborated with DreamWorks, Sony, and Universal. CAT made its debut last Saturday and will now be actively involved in all official Barcelona activities, including the team's football matches.