View the 2015-16 FC Barcelona Kits

Every football season, the public is given new kits for A.) financial gain for companies like Nike and Adidas, and B.) to purchase the latest design that their beloved club will be sporting the upcoming season.

FC Barcelona is no different.

On Monday, Sport.es released designs of what might possibly be the 2015-16 FC Barcelona kits. While Sport.es is not the most reliable news outlet, to say the least, they have been very reliable over the past three years when it comes to obtaining the Nike designs for Barcelona's kits. Mundo Deportivo, much more reliable and accurate media outlet, has also published the kit designs.

Let's break down the kits.

AWAY KIT

Courtesy of Sport.es

We start with the away kit. Barcelona will return to the yellow away kit for next season. Barça last wore all-yellow in the historic 2008-09 season. Perhaps you remember Andres Iniesta taking off his shirt and running toward the corner at Stamford Bridge after he scored the golazo in the final seconds of the second leg of the 2009 UEFA Champions League semifinal against Chelsea. The 2015-16 away kit will feature the Senyera on the back with blue number and lettering. The front collar will be blue and the back of the collar will be yellow, with the inside of the collar displaying the Senyera. The away kit's shorts will be blue.

HOME KIT

Courtesy of Sport.es

Courtesy of Sport.es

Now, we get to the kit that has some Culés upset already: the 2015-16 home kit.

The home kit continues the tradition of the blaugrana colors. However, for the first time in Futbol Club Barcelona history, the azulgrana stripes will be horizontal, not vertical.

#JuntaDimision #JuntaDimissio

Kidding (maybe). Still, there are people in Barcelona and online on both Sport.es and MundoDeportivo.com on how much they dislike the horizontal design. There is a fine line of trying to be innovative and completely ruining tradition and the values that come with it.

Like the away kit, the home kit will have the Senyera on the inside of the collar. The outside of the collar will be all blue, as well as the sleeves. The lettering/numbering will be yellow, and there will be a yellow strip on the sides of the kit. The away kit's shorts will be red/grana.

Courtesy of Sport.es

XOEL'S THOUGHTS

I love the away kit. It brings back the yellow kit that has been traditionally associated with Barcelona's away kits over the club's history: 1920s, 1930s, 1970s and 1980s. I like the Senyera design of the back of the kit. Overall, the away kit will be a huge hit among Barça traditionalists and progressives.

As far as the home kit, I am a bit conflicted. Yes, I like the fact that the designers want to try new things for the kit. But I'm not sure if I like the bluagrana vertical stripes being flipped to the side and made horizontal. I take it Barcelona's 2015-16 home kit may look a bit like Germany's 2014 World Cup away kit, given Nike designs Barcelona's kits and Adidas is Germany's designer.

For me, I'd like to keep the tradition and keep the vertical stripes. But that's just me. I like the idea that FC Barcelona keeps at least this tradition. We've seen so many changes and changes in what once was tradition over the past five years under this dreaded Barça board that now nothing surprises me, including the approval to change the stripes from vertical to horizontal. Perhaps I'm making a big deal out of nothing. Then again, perhaps I'm pointing out another thing Barcelona's leadership has made "business" decisions over keeping hold of the few traditions left.

Count me in for the away kit. The home kit: maybe to keep it in the collection, but I'll still wear a traditional Barça kit.

Courtesy of MundoDeportivo.com

FYI: FC Barcelona could leave Nike as its shirt designer/sponsor in 2018, as their contract expires. Recently, a report stated that U.S. brand Under Armour is interested in becoming Barça's kit maker in 2018. Certainly Adidas, who has Lionel Messi under its brand, will look to snatch up Barcelona in 2018. While Nike has the advantage of re-signing a sponsor deal with FC Barcelona, it will be interesting to see if the future Barcelona president (Laporta?) and board in 2017—when they'd have to make that decision—decide to leave Nike and go with a new company for 2018.

What do YOU think of the 2015-16 FC Barcelona kits? Give us your comments below!

Xoel

Follow @XoelCardenas