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Messi will lead Barca out in the Spanish SuperCup on Sunday against Sevilla in the Moroccan port of Tangier.
The club confirmed: "The No.10 (Messi) who filled the role of second captain since 2015 will this season be the team's captain, a title that has shone over this past decade on the arms of other club legends like Puyol, Xavi and Iniesta."
Five time Ballon d'Or winner Messi returns to club football in Spain after scoring just once in Argentina's chaotic and disappointing World Cup campaign.