Lamine Yamal added to Barcelona captain group before Valencia vs Barcelona live

A leadership change lands before a Sunday La Liga appointment

Barcelona go into Sunday's trip to Valencia with a new leadership detail. Lamine Yamal has been added to Barcelona's group of captains for this season, a decision made by Hansi Flick and by a players' vote, according to reporting amplified Saturday by Fabrizio Romano and Mundo Deportivo.

The reported captain group lists Raphinha first, Pedri second, with Yamal joined by Eric Garcia and Frenkie de Jong among the additional captains. That is a formal leadership change at a club still managing fitness questions around senior midfielders, not a ceremonial caption.

It arrives ahead of Sunday's La Liga meeting with Valencia at Mestalla. For where to watch, check official La Liga and local rights-holder listings.

Why the vote matters on a live weekend

Yamal is already the face of Barcelona's attack. Adding him to the captain group after a squad vote shows how the dressing room is being organised in the opening weeks of the season. Raphinha remains the primary armband option in the reported order; Yamal's inclusion is the new fact.

Barcelona also face a separate selection squeeze this weekend. Spanish reporting on Saturday said Flick had more available senior players than matchday places for the trip to Valencia, with Gavi and Gabriel Jesus among those back in contention. That is a numbers problem, not January speculation.

Frenkie de Jong remains part of the longer-term picture after injury, and his presence on the reported captains list does not by itself confirm minutes against Valencia. The new leadership fact is Yamal's promotion into the group.

The next test is on the pitch: how Barcelona's new captain structure looks at Mestalla. The vote is done. The fixture is next.