Atalanta captain Papu Gómez leads by example as his club let young talent go


The 28-year-old captain sported another unusual armband and led his younger team-mates to a big win at Chievo after a week of off-field upheaval

Not for the first time, Papu Gómez’s biceps stole the show. The Atalanta captain has made headlines all season with his unconventional armband designs. First there was the Mother’s Day tribute, then the Spiderman logo, the Holly & Benji cartoon and, most famously, a celebration of Pro Evolution Soccer’s original Master League XI. As Serie A returned to action on Sunday, he unveiled a new design, inspired by the movie Frozen.

It was chosen to mark his daughter Constantina’s second birthday, with her face appearing alongside those of Anna, Elsa and Olaf. But he might unintentionally have also captured the spirit of the footballing moment. Frozen was a fitting theme for a weekend when one game – Pescara v Fiorentina – was snowed off, while the status quo at the top of the table was perfectly preserved.

Related: The Guardian’s inaugural Footballer of the Year: Cagliari’s Fabio Pisacane

Related: Chelsea’s £21m offer for midfielder Franck Kessié rejected by Atalanta

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