Evoking Memories of Balotelli: Karlsruhe Player Wears Old-Season Kit After Head Injury
Nov 1, 2022, by Chris
Something odd happened in German 2. Bundesliga last weekend, it has been spotted by kit guru @hendocfc.
Karlsruhe's Leon Jensen Gets Last Season's Kit as Replacement Shirt
As visible in the pictures, Karlsruhe's Leon Jensen wore the wrong 21-22 away kit in the match vs Hannover 96. What did happen? Jensen collided heads very early in the match and was covered in blood afterward. He got a bandage and came back on the field a few minutes later. He also received a new kit (players are not allowed to wear shirts with blood on them) - but it was the one of the 21-22 season and not the one of the 22-23 season.
The replacement kit was from the 2021-22 season
Apparently, nobody noticed the error - The player had to be subbed off shortly after as he also suffered a major shoulder injury.
"I think we collided heads, it couldn't have been any other way," said the 25-year-old, who received prolonged treatment afterward. Covered in blood, he initially sat on the seat of his pants, minutes later team doctor Marcus Schweizer stitched up the laceration he had suffered.
"At first I thought it was still okay. But after the first pass I played, it was clear to me that not. I couldn't go into a duel anymore. That made no sense to continue out of false ambition," the Berliner told the Badische Neueste Nachrichten.
Balotelli played with an old kit for five minutes in 2011
Leon Jensen is not the first player to have played with an old kit. In 2011, Mario Balotelli played with an old Italy kit. When he was booked for a mid-air collision with Diego Perez, the referee required him to change to the new kit.
Have you spotted ever spotted any other players wearing old kits in a match? Let us know in the comments below.
What If Adidas Made Barcelona Kits?
Kit collector and insider @memorabilia1899 has shared an intriguing concept imagining how FC Barcelona would look if Adidas were the club's technical sponsor. Despite Barcelona having a long-term partnership with Nike extended through 2038, the fantasy of the German sportswear giant designing the Blaugrana's kits continues to spark conversation among football shirt enthusiasts.
The Adidas Barcelona concept leans heavily into retro aesthetics, combining classic vertical red and blue stripes with the iconic Trefoil logo on the chest. A dark blue polo collar, styled with 'BARÇA 1899' detailing, is paired with gold-orange accents seen across the Three Stripes on the shoulders and the centered Spotify sponsor logo. The full look is completed by navy blue shorts and matching socks.
Would you like to see Adidas manufacture Barcelona kits in the future, or does Nike remain the perfect fit for the Catalan giants?
VfL Osnabrück 26-27 Special DFB-Pokal Kit Released - Worn Against Bayern Munich
German club VfL Osnabrück have unveiled a special kit for their DFB-Pokal first-round clash against FC Bayern Munich. Manufactured by Capelli Sport, the one-off jersey pays homage to one of the biggest cup upsets in German football history, when Osnabrück defeated Bayern 5-4 at the Olympiastadion in Munich on September 23, 1978.
The Osnabrück 26-27 DFB-Pokal special shirt closely mirrors the clean aesthetic worn during that historic 1978 triumph. Predominantly white, it features a bold retro polo collar and matching sleeve cuffs in Osnabrück's signature purple.
Completing the look, the special edition kit is paired with matching white shorts and socks accented by purple detailing. The kit will be worn exclusively during the home cup tie against Bayern Munich at the Bremer Brücke and is available through the club's official retail channels.
Sergio Camello Scores Against Barcelona in White Adidas Predator 94 Remake Boots
Rayo Vallecano forward Sergio Camello delivered a notable boot spotting during their La Liga clash against FC Barcelona, taking to the pitch in the white Adidas Predator 94 remake boots. The Spanish striker put the heritage silhouette in the spotlight at Spotify Camp Nou, finding the back of the net twice while laced up in the inverted 1994 classic featuring a white base, black Three Stripes, and small, signature red accents.
