Barca kick off season with Messi as captain

Barcelona kick off a new season and a new era when they take on Sevilla in the Spanish Supercup in Morocco today with Lionel Messi newly installed as club captain.

Messi has occasionally worn the armband before when Andres Iniesta, who replaced Xavi as skipper in 2015, missed a game.

The Argentine has also led his country, with only mixed results. With Iniesta moving to Japan, Messi takes the job full time starting in Tangiers after Sergi Roberto captained an inexperienced Barca squad during the club’s recent tour of the United States.

Messi can eclipse Iniesta in another way in the Supercup, as both have won a club-record 32 trophies with Barca and victory on Sunday would break the tie.