Barcelona are currently on their pre-season tour of Japan and South Korea, which has been far from straightforward so far. The trip had been close to being cancelled amid allegations of a breach of contract from the tour’s promoters, and even when a resolution was reached, the Catalans were behind schedule in jetting out.
They did win the first match of the tour, with a 3-1 success against Vissel Kobe. However, that match, and the training sessions over in eastern Asia, have seen a new problem come to the fore.
As per MD, there have been numerous complaints from Barcelona players about the new jerseys, with it being revealed that they gain excessive weight due to a build-up of sweat.
Raphinha, who is one of the biggest personalities in the Barcelona dressing room, has reportedly been very vocal on this matter, and he cited that there is so much problems with the Brazil jersey, with their kits also being supplied with Nike.
Hansi Flick is also unamused
Hansi Flick has noticed this problem, and he has listened to his players’ complaints. Because of this, he has asked the Barcelona hierarchy to seek a resolution, with Sport reporting that he specifically wants new, lighter shirts to be made for his squad to use.
It’s understandable why there is such a big deal being made out of this. Footballers need to feel comfortable on the pitch, and in order to be able to play at their best level, they also need to be in the best shape possible. That means that they don’t carry much weight, so the fact that their shirts are causing this problem is very worrying.
It remains to be seen whether a solution can be reached, but Barcelona will hope so – and ideally, as soon as possible.
