Barcelona make struggling defender their primary captain after ter Stegen exit | OneFootball

Following Marc-Andre ter Stegen’s loan exit to Girona, there has been a slight change to Barcelona’s leadership hierarchy.

The German international was undisputedly the club’s main captain. But now that he is not a part of the team during the second half of the season, Barça have chosen a new primary captain.

That captain is none other than Ronald Araujo, the struggling defender who has yet to play any football since his costly error vs Chelsea.

Who are the other captains?

As reported by Que Thi Jugues, Araujo becomes Barcelona’s primary captain, meaning the Uruguayan international will wear the armband whenever he plays.

Frenkie de Jong will be the second captain for Barcelona, as he ranks among the most experienced players in the current setup.

The third place goes to Pedri, who has recently suffered an injury. Although the midfielder is relatively young, his value in the Barcelona team is unmatched.

Pedri is the club’s third captain now. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)

He also has over 200 appearances to his name, making him a viable choice for a third captain.

Raphinha, meanwhile, is now Barcelona’s fourth captain, having emerged as a real leader under Hansi Flick both on and off the pitch.

Interestingly, for the fifth captaincy role, Barcelona have decided to share the responsibility to two players, Eric Garcia and Ferran Torres.

Torres has been a part of the Barcelona setup for quite some time now, and his ascension makes sense. The same can be said for Garcia, who deserves appreciation for the rapid growth under Flick.

As a homegrown La Masia talent, Garcia will relish the opportunity to become Barcelona’s fifth captain. And by the start of next season, it won’t be surprising to see the former Man City star become one of the club’s main leaders.