Who comes out on top in the replica shirt battle?
It’s finally here. After a qualifying process that began in June, the 32 teams for the 2022-23 Champions League group stage have been confirmed, with Rangers, Dinamo Zagreb and FC Copenhagen completing the list.
As the group stage draw gets underway – and fans begin mapping out away trips and travel routes – here are the home and away kits that each club will be wearing, ranked from worst to best.
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Pums32AC Milan
Home: 5/10
In a recurring theme this season, AC Milan have combined great stripes with an unneeded block across the neckline. Rather than the curve used by Inter or Barcelona, this one is a firm, straight line, cutting the red and black stripes off just as they get going.
Away: 4/10
The white base and red and black trim are all great, but the away shirt’s overall theme and design lets it down. The seven stripes don’t quite work, stopping abruptly towards the edge of the shirt without becoming hoops around it. It also bears a similarity to PUMA’s 2022-21 third shirts, which absolutely everyone hated.
Total: 9/20
Shop the entire AC Milan 2022-23 collection hereAdvertisementNike / GOAL31Sporting Lisbon
Home: 7/10
Sporting Lisbon can’t go far wrong with their green and white hoops, one of European Football’s all time great kits. This year, they’ve managed to further improve the design with the introduction of slightly thinner lines around the traditional thick stripes.
Away: 3/10
If the home kit is an improvement on a classic, the away shirt is a sign of how quickly it can all go wrong. The black base is covered in volt details – including gradient hoops that don’t quite make it round the shirt – and the Nike swoosh, collar and sleeve cuffs.
Total: 10/20
Shop the entire Sporting Lisbon 2022-23 collection here
Macron / GOAL30Viktoria Plzen
Home: 4/10
Viktoria Plzen qualified after beating Qarabag FK, but that’s where the good news ends for the Czech team. Their red and blue shirt features a massive diagonal stripe – which makes the whole thing look like Wolverine has had a swipe at it – before it then peters out in a gradient finish. It’s a swing and a miss from Plzen.
Away: 6/10
The Czech club have somehow managed to avoid wearing their away shirt once in the Champions League season, although according to their website it’s the same as last season. The base is a darker shade of blue, while a red and blue side stripe – in a worn effect, for some reason – gives the whole thing the impression of a Crystal Palace training kit.
Total: 10/20
Shop the entire Viktoria Plzen 2022-23 collection hereEA7 / GOAL29Napoli
Home: 5/10
The fact that Napoli kits are designed by Giorgio Armani – through the EA7 line – would potentially gain them extra points if the quality hadn’t been so poor. In the 2021-22 season, fans of the club complained about the quality of the kits, but the club and brand claim to have addressed that for 2022-23. The shirt itself features a light blue base with a nice darker gradient pattern down each sleeve. It’s let down by the double sponsor’s logo, although in the Champions League only Lete will be present.
Away: 5/10
Napoli and EA7 use the same template for the away shirt. The majority of the shirt is white – complete with a subtle graphic inspired by the Napoli crest – while the gradient stripes on each sleeve also return. This time, they come in a lighter blue palette, referencing the club’s traditional colours.
Total: 10/20
Shop the entire Napoli 2022-23 collection here