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Best nicknames in football: Barcelona, Juventus & clubs with the game's most unusual monikers

What's in a name? Nearly every football club in the world has at least one nickname. From Manchester United and Barcelona to your local team, there is usually an affectionate shorthand.

Generally speaking, they tend to be simple and unimaginative. For example, Liverpool play in red so they become 'the Reds' and Chelsea wear blue, so they are known as 'the Blues'. Similarly, some clubs are referred to by an abbreviated title - think those with 'Rovers', 'Wanderers', 'City' or 'Town' in their name.

However, if you look beyond the dull repetition that exists, there is a bountiful yield of clubs with brilliantly odd nicknames, with all sorts of stories and reasons attached.