Europe's news in English

COPY LINK

FOOTBALL

Barça to wear Rolling Stones-themed jersey for El Clásico

FC Barcelona have announced that their players will wear a jersey featuring the famous tongue logo of the Rolling Stones for the Clásico against Real Madrid later this month, as part of the club's sponsorship deal with streaming giants Spotify.

Published: 20 October 2023 12:07 CEST

Barça to wear Rolling Stones-themed jersey for El Clásico

FC Barcelona handout showing members of the Rolling Stones, Ronnie Wood, Mick Jagger and Keith Richards posing with FC Barcelona jerseys that include the rock band's iconic tongue logo.

The La Liga champions signed a major sponsorship agreement with Spotify last year, which included advertising rights for first-team kits and naming rights of the Camp Nou.

The emblem of rock legends the Rolling Stones, a mouth with its tongue sticking out, will replace the Spotify logo on the front of Barca’s jerseys for the game on October 28th and the women’s Clásico in November.

DONE DEAL! 🤘💥
🚨🤝🗞️ FC Barcelona and @RollingStones sign deal ahead of the next #ElClásico thanks to @Spotify . 28/10/2023 👅 pic.twitter.com/bfH7tpw5Lp

— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) October 19, 2023

Barcelona have previously worn shirts featuring the logo of Canadian rapper Drake and the cover artwork of Motomami, the third studio album released by Spanish singer Rosalía.

The deal with Spotify could be worth up to €435 million ($459 million) over several seasons, according to media reports.

Barcelona have been desperately trying to balance the books after financial struggles which led to the departure of Lionel Messi to Paris Saint-Germain in 2021.

Their president Joan Laporta has also been charged as part of the investigation into alleged bribes paid to referees, a Spanish court said on Wednesday.

READ ALSO: Why Spaniards are falling out of love with English-language music

Member comments

Log in here to leave a comment.

Become a Member to leave a comment.

World Cup winner Del Bosque to watch over Spain's scandal-hit federation

The retired 73-year-old led La Roja to the 2010 World Cup and 2012 European Championship titles, as well as taking Real Madrid to two Champions League triumphs.

“I’m proud to announce that the person presiding over the committee and representing it… is Vicente del Bosque,” said Pilar Alegría, the minister for Education and Sports.

“Del Bosque will be the face and representation of Spanish football.”

Last week Spain’s National Sports Council (CSD) created a committee to “oversee” the federation (RFEF) and try to pull it out of crisis.

Former president Luis Rubiales resigned in disgrace after forcibly kissing Women’s World Cup star Jenni Hermoso last year, while he and new president Pedro Rocha are under investigation in a graft probe.

“I believe that (Del Bosque) is the clearest representation of a good person of great human quality and, above all, an example of honesty and respect,” added Alegría.

The RFEF took decisions “beyond its remit” after Rubiales stepped down in December according to a report from the country’s leading sports court, resulting in the CSD creating the committee.

World and European football governing bodies FIFA and UEFA subsequently issued a statement expressing “great concern” at the situation around the RFEF.

“FIFA and UEFA will seek additional information to assess the extent to which the CSD’s appointment (of the committee) … may affect the RFEF’s obligation to manage its affairs independently and without undue government interference,” they said.

Spain is due to host the 2030 World Cup along with Portugal and Morocco.

The court report on the RFEF interim committee overstepping its bounds also raised the possibility the CSD may provisionally suspend Rocha, who was elected as Rubiales’ replacement on Friday, and other RFEF directors.

A CSD meeting Tuesday over potential punishments for these alleged infringements was put on hold after the sports court asked for more documentation, CSD sources told AFP.

The sources said the CSD plans to meet again in the coming days.

One decision allegedly beyond the remit of the RFEF was the renewal of current Spain coach Luis de la Fuente’s contract in February.

Url copied to clipboard!