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Xabi Alonso steps in to lead Real Madrid for his inaugural La Liga match this season. However, can reigning champions Barcelona be halted?
Barcelona's dominance over Real Madrid last season led to Los Blancos ending Carlo Ancelotti's second stint as manager, despite his having secured both a league title and European trophy just the year before.
Throughout the season, rumors persisted that Xabi Alonso, a former Real Madrid midfielder and current coach at Bayer Leverkusen, would be transitioning to replace Ancelotti. These speculations emerged despite a modest start for his teams both domestically and internationally.
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After concluding their La Liga and UEFA Champions League campaigns, the Madrid-based club promptly announced Alonso as their new manager. This decision came just as Brazil expressed increasing interest in Ancelotti.
Everything appeared to be in place for a respectful farewell for the Italian, club football's most celebrated manager. He will now guide the record World Cup winners into next year's 2026 tournament.
For the flawlessly crafted script to progress, Alonso must begin decisively on all fronts. Al Jazeera Sport examines the upcoming La Liga season.
When does the La Liga season start?
The opening match of the new Spanish campaign is scheduled for Friday, August 15. It features Girona, who narrowly avoided relegation last season by just one point, hosting Rayo Vallecano—a team that secured ninth place in La Liga last year.
Two seasons ago, Girona emerged as the league's surprise team by finishing third, just four points shy of Barcelona.
When are the first La Liga matches for Barcelona and Real Madrid?
Barcelona will begin their La Liga title defense with an away game against Mallorca on Saturday, August 16.
Real Madrid will not play again until Tuesday, August 19. On that date, they will wrap up the first round of Spanish top-flight fixtures with an away match against Espanyol.
What player transfers have taken place for Real Madrid and Barcelona?
Barcelona has experienced a subdued transfer window, mainly due to financial scrutiny last year. La Liga's regulations on wage and transfer spending have made registering Dani Olmo more complex.
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The Spanish international transferred from RB Leipzig in Germany for a fee of $62.5 million in the summer of 2024, but nearly faced a free transfer away from the Catalan club because of their severe financial troubles.
Marcus Rashford's loan move from Manchester United, following his debut in the 5-0 pre-season defeat of Como, remains Barcelona's sole significant addition to their squad during the off-season.
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Meanwhile, Real Madrid has swiftly strengthened a defense that was plagued by injuries and suspensions throughout last season.
Trent Alexander-Arnold was a highly anticipated acquisition, joining from Liverpool for the bargain price of $11.3 million. In contrast, significant investments were made to secure Spanish defenders Alvaro Carreras and Dean Huijsen, with Carreras arriving from Benfica for $57.7 million and Huijsen signing on from Bournemouth for $67 million.
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What were the outcomes of last season’s matches between Barcelona and Real Madrid?
Last season, Barcelona emerged victorious in all four El Clasico encounters against their rival football club. This included a crucial La Liga match held on May 11 in Catalonia, where Barca's 4-3 victory practically secured the league title for them. The win also quashed any speculation about Ancelotti continuing as Real Madrid's manager.
A 4-0 thrashing of Real in Madrid on October 26 marked the start of last season's derbies, serving as the first significant indication that Los Blancos might face a tumultuous journey ahead.
Ancelotti's team faced further disappointment after a 5-2 thrashing in the Spanish Super Cup final in January. Later, Barcelona secured a narrow 3-2 victory over Real Madrid in the Copa Del Rey final at the end of April, leaving Real contemplating a season without any trophies.
Where will the spotlight be on Barcelona and Real Madrid?
The absence of significant additions to Barcelona's title-winning squad raises doubts about whether manager Hansi Flick can motivate the players to excel again without increased competition for positions.
An early-season injury to Robert Lewandowski could provide Rashford with a chance to shine in the attack alongside Lamine Yamal and Raphinha. The England international, meanwhile, has much to prove following his fall from prominence at Old Trafford.
Ferran Torres, the 25-year-old Spanish international, is also a potential starter to replace Lewandowski in the early-season matches.
With the resolution of Marc-Andre ter Stegen’s dispute, both Barcelona's defense and midfield seem well-equipped. Flick's team is anticipated to strongly defend their La Liga title and aim for a complete triumph in the Champions League—a tournament they were favored to win last season until an unexpected semifinal exit against Inter Milan.
Real Madrid will have to manage without Luka Modric in midfield, just a year after Toni Kroos's retirement. His absence was widely seen as a major factor in the team's struggles last season.
The connection among the front three of Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Junior, and Rodrygo raised additional concerns for Real. This issue was significant enough that it impacted Jude Bellingham's role, requiring him to play a deeper midfield position after those players joined the team.
Mbappe ultimately silenced his critics as the French international achieved a remarkable tally of 40 goals in all competitions, surpassing Cristiano Ronaldo's performance during his first season with Madrid.
However, the connection between the attack and midfield, now missing both of its mainstays for over a decade, will be Alonso's primary challenge to address.
Can Atletico Madrid pose a challenge to Real Madrid and Barcelona?
Atletico ended last season 14 points shy of first place, but at one point they provided hope for a triumphant outcome with an impressive 15-game winning streak.
Diego Simeone's team ended up in sixth place during the League Phase of the Champions League. Unfortunately, they were eliminated by Real Madrid, a team that had to secure their spot in the knockout stage through playoffs. Additionally, they faced an early exit from the group stage at the Club World Cup, where one of their losses was a heavy 4-0 defeat against Paris Saint-Germain.
Simeone's team consistently relies on a strong defense, and securing Clement Lenglet permanently after his loan from Barcelona last season suggests this approach will persist.
An already powerful forward line is strengthened by the addition of Thiago Almada, who joins from Botafogo for an undisclosed fee after spending last season on loan at Lyon.
The 24-year-old contributed to Argentina's victory at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar and the Copa America last year, as well as being a member of his country's team for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
Almada, together with fellow countryman Julian Alvarez, French and Atletico legend Antoine Griezmann, and Giuliano Simeone—son of the manager—has the potential to infuse the magic necessary to propel Atletico to the top.