A new Liga season is starting! After the national consecration of a FC Barcelona dazzling last season, the ball will again roll on Spanish lawns this Friday, with an opening match between Girona and Rayo Vallecano. All, in a somewhat special context. If Spain is experiencing a new golden generation and the nuggets flourish around the country, the situation with financial fair play is critical and affects clubs beyond Barça. More than a hundred recruits have not yet been recorded. Not to mention this match affair played in the United States between Villarreal and the Catalan club which phagocyte news across the Pyrenees and arouses strong reactions. You will understand, in those hours preceding the kick-off of the new season, our Spanish friends speak more of controversies and off-terrain subjects than what could happen on the green rectangle.
However, this 2025/2026 liga has solid arguments to offer. Inevitably, it is on the struggle for the title that all eyes will be riveted. If FC Barcelona intends to repeat its exploits from the last exercise, the stable trained by Hansi Flick will face a Real Madrid Revanchard and which launches a new cycle. Continuity in the face of revival in short. The Blaugranas present themselves with the same certainties as at the end of last season, with reinforcements like Marcus Rashford, Roony Bardghji and Joan Garcia, and players like Gavi and Fermin Lopez who intend to prove that they can hold. An individual and collective dynamic more than positive on the Barcelona side, even if the departure of íñigo Martínez, the locker room and essential in the defensive scheme of Flick, especially in terms of offside trap, risks being felt.
Revolution (s) in Madrid
To counter the band of a Lamine Yamal already on fire during preparation meetings, Real Madrid has decided to change everything. With Xabi Alonso, the Merengue management relies on a new model: a dogmatic coach who has been given much more power and room for maneuver than his predecessors. A bet aims to launch a new cycle, after a particularly disappointing season under the orders of Carlo Ancelotti. A desire also to get closer to a more attractive style of play, and the management did not hesitate to get their hands in the pocket. On the other hand, Xabi Alonso and all Madrid public opinion know it well: more than Dean Huijsen or Trent Alexander -Arnold, the fate of Real is in the hands of two men: Kylian Mbappé and Vinicius Jr. If the two offensive stars of the team fail to agree on the field – as was often the case last – the team. It is especially the Brazilian who is expected at the turn, he who is facing the season of his redemption … or his damnation.
Among the Colchoneros neighbors, there was also movement. Diego Simeone remains unbeatable on the sidelines, but 7 new faces have arrived to rejuvenate the team and there too, start a new cycle. Sufficient to tickle the two ogres of the championship? Only the future will tell us, but what is certain is that the remarkable media outing of the Argentinian coach at the beginning of summer, demanding reinforcement from his management, was heard. It now has a workforce to say the least provided and complete, and this season will also mark the final passing of power between Antoine Griezmann, who should be relegated to a secondary role, and Julian Alvarez, already efficient for his first season. What is obvious, however, is that the gap between the three largest clubs in the country and the rest has still widened. With 175 million euros invested Atlético, for example, spent, more than all other clubs claiming a place in Europe that are Villarreal, Athletic, Real Sociedad, Celta or Betis.
Nice teams and young people to follow
If there should therefore be no real suspense for the three occupants of the podium in addition to their order, behind the battle promises to be sympathetic. And above all, as often in liga, there will be many young people to follow. The Athletic, despite a fairly bad preseason in terms of results, will want to confirm its status as the fourth force of the country and a little like FC Barcelona, has not changed much compared to last season if not the arrival of the promising Jesus Areso. Villarreal, fifth last season, notably lost Alex Baena but offered the nugget Alberto Moleiro, one of the most promising young Spaniards who is compared to Pedri, not only because the two are trained in Las Palmas but because of their way of playing. With Marcelino on the bench, the yellow submarine promises big battles on Liga lawns.
Betis will also be one of the teams to follow. While waiting to know if Antony will return and see how Isco will recover from his injury of about two months, the Andalusian team has a more than interesting workforce, and there is no doubt that the looks will be turned to Pablo Garcia, only 19 -year -old winger who shocked everyone with Spain in the last euro in his category. Celta was one of the good surprises of last season, with his coach Claudio Giraldez, one of the most promising tacticians of the new generation. The Galicians, carried by their particularly productive training center, are a very serious candidate for Europe this season with some interesting arrivals such as those of Ferran Jutgla and Bryan Zaragoza, while Ilaix Moriba, who revived last year, was kept. The Rayo Vallecano, qualified for the Conference League, will also want to continue its good dynamics and continue to offer beautiful football. The Real Sociedad, accustomed from the top of the painting but which comes out of a fairly bad season, will try to revive and return to the level which must be its.
Individual prices
Beyond the final ranking of the championship, as we know, individuals and different races with individual distinctions fascinate crowds. Inevitably, it is the Pichichi which is the most prestigious reward in the eyes of Liga lovers, and two big favorites are distinguished: Kylian Mbappé, already top scorer in the Liga last year with 31 achievements, and Robert Lewandowski, who had made the nets tremble 27 times during the last exercise. A experienced struggle is still promised, with some possible outsiders, like Julian Alvarez or Raphinha, who showed last year that he also had a finisher side that had been seen little so far. But above all, it is the Ballon d'Or which will partly play in this Liga season.
Obviously, the Ballon d'Or is an award that does not concern that Spanish football, but as we know, the media coverage of Real Madrid and FC Barcelona do that in the event of a good season, with a Liga victory and a good course in Europe, a Barça or Real player is de facto candidate. Lamine Yamal is the best example. While waiting to see if he will win him this season, he who is opposed to Ousmane Dembélé or Achraf Hakimi, there is no doubt that the little Barcelona prodigy, but also Kylian Mbappé and possibly players like Vinicius Jr, Pedri, Jude Bellingham or Raphinha, could have chances in the event of a good season on the individual and collective level. You will understand, the season will be exciting!
