Messi handed the armband at Barca

Lionel Messi has been named Barcelona’s captain following the departure of long-serving midfielder Andres Iniesta, while defenders Gerard Pique and Sergi Roberto were named new vice-captains in a statement by the La Liga champions. Messi, Barca’s all-time top scorer, has been a vice-captain since 2015 and takes the club’s armband from Iniesta, who succeeded Xavi Hernandez as captain in 2015, but left for Japanese club Vissel Kobe in June