Why are Real Madrid wearing black in El Clasico and Barcelona yellow and red?
El Clasico is back, but with a big difference. This Sunday’s duel between Real Madrid and Barcelona will see the two teams take to the pitch wearing different kits from normal, as the home team will be in black and the visitors in yellow and red. Visually, therefore, this won’t feel like a normal Clasico. Not at all.
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Why are Real Madrid wearing black in El Clasico
The reason for Real Madrid’s black kits is that they have partnered with Japanese fashion designer Yohji Yamamoto, whose signature style is black. The result is a fourth kit that is all-black, with the Adidas stripes, numbers and lettering all in white.
This Y-3 collaboration is taking place now to celebrate Real Madrid’s 120th anniversary, which came on March 6th. As the club explained in a statement: “Both Real Madrid and Y-3 are world-leading iconic brands in their fields, having been driving forces behind sports and fashion ever since their inception. This season, the greatest club in the world and the state-of-the-art sports apparel brand have come together to create a commemorative collection comprising of a limited-edition jersey to mark the 120th anniversary, alongside other sports garments and accessories.”
The reaction to this from most Real Madrid fans has not been positive. Many have brought up a famous quote from Santiago Bernabéu, which states: “The Real Madrid shirt is white. It can stain of mud, sweat, and even of blood. But never of shame!”
The fans want to see their team in white for most home games and, even if there is occasionally a match at home in which they wear an alternative kit, as they have done against Espanyol or Cádiz in the past few years, they feel there is no excuse for changing colours in a Clasico.
Real Madrid have linked-up with Y-3 yet again to release a capsule collection celebrating 120 years of the club & Yohji Yamamoto and adidas’ partnership reaching its 20th year 👏
The collection includes a black 4th kit and pink GK kit 👕 pic.twitter.com/bwfqzspKvQ— Football Shirt Collective (@thefootballsc) March 17, 2022
Why are Barcelona wearing yellow and red in El Clasico
In Barcelona’s case, they’ll wear their yellow and red Senyera kit, which is inspired by the Catalan flag and which they’ve worn on several previous occasions. Barça have already played a Clasico in a Senyera-inspired kit, one that mixed the yellow and red colours into the traditional blue and red, but this is much bigger step in that direction.
There are two main reasons for this choice of kit. One is that their usual home kit might now clash with Real Madrid and their black. The other is that president Joan Laporta reportedly likes the idea of taking to the Bernabeu pitch in the heart of Spain’s capital in these Catalan colours.
Either way, it’ll be a strange sight to see a Clasico with Real Madrid and Barcelona wearing something other than their home shirts.
