In a recent match, a small but notable incident involving Frenkie de Jong and the captaincy went unnoticed during Barcelona’s loss to Las Palmas, raising questions about team dynamics.
This situation was surprising for many, as Raphinha had previously handed the armband to Frenkie whenever he entered the game. Fans were used to seeing this transfer of captaincy, making the change during this match stand out.
In a previous Champions League match against Young Boys, Frenkie also came on as a substitute, and Raphinha was still the captain, even though Barcelona was comfortably leading 4-0. This pattern continued in other matches leading up to the loss against Las Palmas, where Raphinha consistently passed the armband to Frenkie.
In games against teams like Alaves and Bayern Munich, Raphinha would give the armband to Frenkie as soon as he stepped onto the pitch. There were also instances, such as the 0-4 victory over Real Madrid, where Frenkie wore the armband after coming on at halftime.
Even in matches where he entered late, like against Celta Vigo and Brest, Frenkie managed to finish the game as captain. This shows his growing role as a leader within the team.
It’s important to note that Frenkie de Jong is the third captain of Barcelona, while Raphinha is the fourth. However, during the match against Las Palmas, the usual order of captaincy did not change, which raised eyebrows among fans and analysts alike.
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