Barcelona Elect Iniesta as Captain

Barcelona midfielder Andres Iniesta has been appointed as the club’s new captain after team mates voted for him to succeed Xavi in the role, according to Mail Online.

Iniesta has been the heir to the armband for the past season, captaining the side for half of Barcelona’s matches last season, while Xavi periodically started from the bench, making his transition into his new role a very easy one.

As is now traditional at Barca, he will be assisted by three vice-captains, with Lionel Messi and Sergio Busquets being promoted up from their previous third and fourth roles, respectively.

The appointments were made following a secret ballot amongst the playing staff, who voted for Iniesta to head them this season.

Javier Mascherano comes in to fill the vacant fourth skipper’s role, the Argentine being elected by his team-mates for the first time in his Barca career, per the club’s website.

Iniesta is now the longest-serving player at Camp Nou, having made his debut in October 2002.

“Above all it is a very special responsibility to represent not only the team but much more: the kit, the club image”, Iniesta told Mundo Deportivo last week, as reported by Goal.com. “Everyone is different and communicate things in their own way”.