La Liga giants Barcelona and Real Madrid have gotten new captains ahead of the 2023/24 La Liga season after big exits this summer from both clubs.
The two biggest clubs in Spain are head-on with plans for the 2023/24 season as they prepare for another 38-game La Liga journey interwoven with Champions League football and other domestic competitions.
Sergi Roberto is Barcelona new captain
Sergi Roberto was a clear favorite to emerge as Barcelona new captain after Spain legend Sergio Busquets annouced his departure from the club this summer.
Sergi Roberto’s emergence did not come as a surprise as Barcelona is known to place premium on hierarchy in dressing room.
The Spaniard was next in command to Sergio Busquets. Following Busquets’ exit, the captain armband was definitely going to be on the arm of Roberto.
Sergi Roberto is a homegrown Barcelona player known for his versatility. He can easily switch roles from central or defensive midfielder to a full-back or winger. Roberto joined Barcelona in 2006 when he was 14. He started from the club’s academy.
He made his first professional appearance for the Catalans in 2009 playing for Barcelona’s Reserve team.
Roberto has been at Barcelona as a professional player for 14 years, spending the entirety of his career at the club. He has made 231 appearances for the club, scoring 9 goals.
The Catalan-born player has earned the accolades of the club after he tuned down foreign proposals to renew his contract at the club last year on a significantly reduced paycheck.
Roberto is an 8 times La Liga winner, 6 times Copa Del Rey winner, 3 times Supercopa de Espana winner, 2 times Champions League winner, and a UEFA Super Cup and FIFA Club Cup winner.
He signed a one-year contract extension with the club till 2024 with a weekly wage offer of €96,154 per week.
Nacho Fernandez is Real Madrid new captain
Real Madrid handed over the captaincy badge to Nacho based on seniority in the squad. Nacho Fernandez took over the captain armband after Karim Benzema left the club this summer to Al Ittihad in Saudi Arabia.
Nacho is the longest-serving Real Madrid player, having spent over two decades at the club. Like Sergi Roberto, Nacho spent the entirety of his career at Real Madrid, having joined the club’s academy at the tender age of 11 in 2001.
He made his first professional appearance for the club in 2009, playing for Real Madrid reserve team. His first senior appearance for Real Madrid first team came in 2011, and he has gone on to make 213 appearances, scoring 12 goals for the club.
Nacho has won 3 La Liga titles, 2 Copa Del Rey, 3 Supercopa de Espana, 5 Champions League titles, 3 UEFA Super Cup, and 5 FIFA Club World Cup.
He is on a one year contract extension with Real Madrid till 2024 with a weekly wage of £133,000.
