Barcelona are set to make history by wearing their ‘senyera’ jersey at the Nou Camp

Very interesting story, awful looking kit...

Barcelona's game against Athletic Bilbao will mark a special occasion for the Catalan club because they will be wearing their ‘senyera’ colours at the Camp Nou for the first time in the club’s history. Saturday marks the tri-centennial National Day of Catalonia because in 1714 the city fell to Spanish and French troops, and to mark the day the club have been given permission by the LFP and Athletic Bilbao to wear their red and yellow kit. The ‘senyera’ kit was first introduced last season for Barca's away matches and the shirt proved to be one of the clubs best selling kits of all time.

.@fcbarcelona to wear "senyera" kit against Bilbao http://t.co/wreWdErhpo pic.twitter.com/GkNNroFkDs — FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) September 11, 2014

The four bars on the flag in red and yellow represent the districts of Catalonia, Aragon, Valencia and the Balearic Islands and also the King of the Crown of Aragon. It's been argued that the decision to wear the kit on Saturday is politically motivated in order to encourage the possibility of a Scotland-style referendum being held on Catalan independence in the coming months, an idea which has been so far rejected by the central Spanish government. Here's Gerard Pique showing his support on the streets of Barcelona this week.

Mai havia viscut res semblant! Simplement inoblidable! #Diada2014 pic.twitter.com/sB67mbb652 — Gerard Piqué (@3gerardpique) September 11, 2014

However, the shirt hasn't brought much luck. Barca didn't win a single game in the first four competitive matches that they played in these colours, including a 1-0 defeat to Saturday's opponents Athletic Bilbao. Bilbao will also be wearing their away kit on Saturday, with green shirts, white shorts and red socks, which itself represents the Ikurriña, the flag of the Basque Country.