Unprofessional? Ross Barkley Plays With Blank Kit After Nosebleed in Premier League

Mar 11, 2024

by Chris

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Barkley's Kit: Ross Barkley played part of a Premier League game in a blank shirt due to a nosebleed and torn kit.
Lack of Spare Kit: Luton did not have a readily available replacement kit with Barkley's name and number.
Rules on Blood: Players are not allowed to wear clothing with blood on it, requiring kit changes.

The match between Crystal Palace and Luton Town in the Premier League last weekend saw a peculiar incident unfold: Luton midfielder Ross Barkley played nearly the entire first half wearing a shirt... without a name and number. Big thanks to Vietnamese football equipment page Chuyện Áo Đấu for the spot.

Luton Kitman Has No Ready Replacement Kit for Barkley

The reason for Barkley wearing no name and number stemmed from an incident early in the game. In the 4th minute, Barkley collided with Palace captain Joel Ward, resulting in a nosebleed and causing Barkley's shirt to become torn. With no spare shirt bearing his name readily available (it probably has been in the dressing room or they did not find it immediately), Barkley was left with no choice but to don a plain jersey to continue playing.

A player is not permitted to wear clothing with blood on it, but teams usually have ready-made replacement kits on the bench

Usually, teams have a replacement kit ready for every player in case of blood injuries. "A player is not permitted to wear clothing with blood on it," according to football equipment rules.

For the second half, Barkley returned with a correct shirt featuring his name and number.

Embed from Getty Images

Are you surprised to see this happening in the Premier League? Have you ever seen this before in pro football? Let us know in the comments below.