Barcelona set for new captain with new face to join leadership group

Barring a dramatic turn of events, Barcelona will have a new captain in place for the 2024-25 season. The Blaugrana are yet to even bid farewell to Sergi Roberto, despite his 18 years at the club, but are also yet to extend his deal, a month after his current contract expired.

Roberto took over from Sergio Busquets last summer as the most senior Barcelona player, while Marc-Andre ter Stegen, was joined by Frenkie de Jong and Ronald Araujo as vice-captains. Sport say that excepting a surprise, ter Stegen will be elected as the new Barcelona captain. The 32-year-old has now been at the club a decade, longer than any of his teammates.

If Roberto’s exit is confirmed, it will also mean a new face in the leadership group though. There are relatively few experienced heads to take over. The Catalan daily note that Pedri stands a good chance, who has been at the club for four years now, while Ilkay Gundogan or Robert Lewandowski, who are veterans known to new manager Hansi Flick from his spells at Bayern Munich and Germany, are also in with a shout.

Technically Clement Lenglet is the next most-experienced Barcelona player in the squad, but he is expected to leave at some point. Pedri is not outwardly the most natural of leaders, which perhaps would be better-suited to Gundogan, but his strong personality ruffled feathers last season too – in particular those of Araujo, who would be in the leadership group with him.