The 2018-19 Champions League is under way and giants such as Real Madrid, Manchester United and Barcelona will soon be commencing their quests for continental glory.
Each team comes into the tournament equipped with a whole new look, with new kits being launched for the season, while players will be testing out the latest boots throughout the campaign.
The most important piece of equipment of all has also changed for the new edition: the ball.
The official ball for the 2018-19 Champions League season is the Adidas Finale 18 and it was launched in August ahead of the group stage.
This season, Adidas have opted for a bold new take on their traditional design by inverting the colourway, with the stars going white against a darker backdrop.
A blend of blues form the background, with football blue, bright cyan and collegiate royal all incorporated.
According to Adidas, the design intends to “let the stars shine” with the layout creating the illusion that the stars are glowing on the ball.
The panels on the ball are thermally bonded, which helps to make its surface more aerodynamic, as well as optimising a player’s touch.
A seamless surface also improves the ball’s likelihood of not becoming waterlogged.The iconic star pattern which features on the ball is inspired by the UEFA Champions League logo and the inversion of the customary colourway brings it closer to much of the competition’s branding.
For the 2017-18 Champions League season, the Adidas Finale 17 was used and it had a more traditional feel to it compared to its successor.
The ball had a white background and the stars were darker, with the colourway of core black, dark green and energy blue used to give the panels a striking look.
Like the Finale 18, the panels of the Finale 17 ball were thermally bonded to produce a seamless finish.