After a campaign which ended with Real Madrid as champions and La Liga’s other big hitter being embarrassed in Europe, there is barely time to pause breath before the new season begins,
Not that we know for sure if the calendar will run to plan.
For the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) has expressed its displeasure with the list released by La Liga ahead of the 2020/21 season.
In a letter to league president Javier Tebas, the RFEF has rejected the new dates set by the league and asked Tebas to deal with the issue calmly.
The Federation cannot approve the calendar, which has been proposed by the league committee until the conflicts raised are resolved and the relevant authorities have agreed that competitions may be started on a state level.
When we do get going though – and we will – undoubtedly more La Liga highlights will follow with both new faces and some familiar ones.
Leganés, Real Mallorca, and Espanyol have gone down and been replaced by Real Zaragoza, Cadiz, and Huesca.
The main focus, however, will be on the top four from the last term.
Real (along with Getafe) will start in the second week of the competition, while newly-crowned Europa League winners Sevilla, Atletico Madrid and Barcelona will get underway in the third due to their participation in the latter stages of European competition.
The shape of the Barca squad that kicks-off 2020/21 will be fascinating to see.
According to reports in Spain, striker Luis Suarez has been told he doesn’t have a future at the club by new manager Ronald Koeman. The 33-year-old, who currently has a year left on his current deal, scored 21 goals in 36 appearances for the Catalan giants last season but is surely past his peak.
It’s not just Suarez who could be part of Koeman’s planned clear-out as he aims to revitalise an ageing squad.
Arturo Vidal, Ivan Rakitić, and Samuel Umtiti are also being linked with moves away.
Antoine Griezmann will likely be kept on but will need to improve on his maiden campaign at the Nou Camp, even if certain speculation suggests the Frenchman could be a makeweight in a move to bring Neymar back to Catalonia from Paris Saint-Germain.
Real rarely have a quiet summer and it’s hard to imagine them not making one marquee signing before the big kick-off with Zinedine Zidane the main man at the helm.
When President Florentino Perez confirmed his return for last season, some supporters were sceptical. Even though ‘Zizou’ led the men in white to nine trophies in his initial reign and the famous three successive Champions League titles, there was much work to do.
Now, if it’s possible, those supporters love him even more after he added substance to their style.
Ferland Mendy has developed as one to watch in the back four, while goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois has been in stellar form with Real conceding just 25 league goals last term.
Across the city, Atletico continue to punch above their weight but how long Diego Simeone can maintain such momentum after years of selling their best players remains to be seen.
They will begin their pre-season preparations on September 3 without Joao Felix. In fact, five players will be absent from the first day of the preparations, with Jan Oblak and Stefan Savic among the others missing after being called up to represent their respective national teams – something which could prove a real issue in a congested season ahead.
And then there’s Sevilla, who will contest the UEFA Super Cup a month today (September 24), by which time manager Julen Lopetegui will want his squad finalised.
The head coach has drilled his team, which is made up mostly of new signings, to perfection, losing just eight of their 54 matches in all competitions and it could be just the beginning.
This is where Monchi, Sevilla’s sporting director, comes in.
‘We can’t waste a single minute,’ he said following the win over Inter Milan in Cologne.
The departures of Sergio Reguilon, who is returning to Real Madrid after his loan expired, and Ever Banega, who is leaving for Saudi Arabia, leave two big holes in the team.
Two dates for your diary: the opening weekend of La Liga 2020/21 season will be from September 12, while it’s hoped the first match of the season to be played with a crowd will be the rescheduled the Copa del Rey final between Real Sociedad and Athletic Club, which is initially pencilled in for Christmas.
There are lots of stories to be written before then though. Study the SBOBET La Liga betting odds to decide who to put your money on.
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