Football
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Andres Iniesta named Barcelona captain

Andres Iniesta will take over as Barcelona captain following the departure of Xavi to Al-Sadd, the club has confirmed.

Iniesta had served as Xavi's deputy in recent years and has been picked as the European champions' skipper for the 2015-16 campaign by his teammates.

Lionel Messi and Sergio Busquets were re-elected as second and third choices, while Javier Mascherano is now fourth in line for the armband.

Iniesta, 31, is the oldest player in the Barcelona squad after the departure of Xavi Hernandez to Qatari club Al Sadd SC this summer and has inherited the armband after a Treble winning season. The initial announcement was made last week.

The 2015-16 campaign will be the Spain international's 13th with the Blaugrana first team and he said he is pleased to have been given the chance to lead his teammates forward.

"It's a very special responsibility as you are not only representing the team but many more things like the image of the club, the changing room," he told El Mundo Deportivo.

"It's very beautiful, especially for those of us that have been at Barca for so long. To be captain of the first team is something truly special."

The Albacete-born midfielder has been at the club since the age of 12 and broke into the first team six years later. He has made 361 appearances and netted 33 goals.

Barca head into the new campaign on the back of a Primera Division, Copa del Rey and Champions League Treble-winning year.

The Catalan giants can add three more titles in 2015 by winning the UEFA Super Cup, Spanish Super Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup under first-year coach Luis Enrique.

Iniesta was a member of the Barca side that won six titles in a given year -- in 2009 under then coach Pep Guardiola.

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