Leicester City new captain named as Marti Cifuentes organises seven-man leadership group
Ricardo Pereira has been named as the new Leicester City captain by manager Marti Cifuentes, the Portuguese right-back succeeding Jamie Vardy in the role.
Ricardo was handed the armband this week following consultations between Cifuentes and the squad.
It is not a role that will be new to the 31-year-old, who led the team out on numerous occasions during the Championship-winning campaign two years ago, when he was vice-captain to Vardy and Marc Albrighton.
Ricardo has been with City for seven years now, only Hamza Choudhury making his senior debut for the club longer ago.
Cifuentes feels the Portuguese has the perfect mix of quality, experience and respect from the dressing room.
“His career speaks for itself,” Cifuentes said after naming Ricardo captain at his press conference on Friday.
“He’s a quality player that has been a long time at the club. He knows very well the changing room.
“From what I’ve seen and from the conversations we’ve had together, I see the great professional he is, the respect he’s got from the players and the commitment he’s got to the club. All of this made it an easy choice.”
Ricardo is injured and so is not available to take the armband against Sheffield Wednesday on Sunday (4.30pm kick-off).
It means the captaincy will be handed to one of the other players in City’s seven-man leadership group.
Cifuentes didn’t reveal the full list, but it’s understood Ricardo is joined in the group by Jordan Ayew and Choudhury, with the latter expected to take the armband if he starts on Sunday.
“The purpose of the leadership group, there are many, but one is if the club captain Ricardo is not available, then someone else can wear the armband,” Cifuentes said.
“I can tell you it’s seven (players) because I don’t like draws. I like always someone to take good decisions.
“But it’s a mix between experience and some young players, players who have been here for a long time, players who have not been here that long, but I want them to be in the group. You will see one of them wearing the armband on Sunday.”
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