Madrid, Aug 13 (IANS) The 2026-27 La Liga season kicks off this weekend with a reduced list of matches, as teams whose players featured beyond the semifinals of the FIFA World Cup do not start their season for another week.
That means FC Barcelona, Athletic Club, Real Madrid, Real Betis and Real Sociedad will not feature on the opening weekend, while Atletico Madrid will play Malaga on Wednesday.
Deportivo Alaves and Getafe kick off the new season on Saturday, with Alaves coach Quique Sanchez Flores and his Getafe counterpart Jose Bordalas each having previously coached the other side. Saturday’s second match sees Sevilla at home to Rayo Vallecano.
Rayo is unable to play in its Vallecas Stadium for the moment, and pre-season results have not been impressive, while Sevilla has seen players such as Djibril Sow, Akor Adams and Nemanja Gudelj all depart and looks to have a weaker squad than the one that struggled for much of last year, reports Xinhua.
Racing Santander returns to the top flight for the first time since 2012 with a home game against Villarreal on Sunday. Villarreal has former Rayo coach Inigo Perez making his debut, while Racing needs to tighten up a defense that conceded 61 goals despite winning the second division.
Espanyol is at home to Levante in a game between two sides that avoided relegation last season, with Levante needing to find a replacement for striker Carlos Espi, who has joined Real Madrid.
Celta Vigo could have postponed its opening-day game at home to Osasuna given that striker Borja Iglesias formed part of the triumphant Spain team at the World Cup, but with UEFA Europa League games in the coming weeks, the club opted to play, although the match is reportedly under threat due to a fungal infection on the pitch at its Balaidos Stadium.
There will be a packed house at Riazor Stadium on Monday when Deportivo plays its first La Liga game in eight years at home to Elche.
The home side has spent money to build a squad capable of competing in La Liga, while there are several changes at Elche, with Martin Anselmi replacing Eder Sarabia as coach, and Alvaro Rodriguez, Aleix Febas, Rafa Mir and Andre Silva all leaving.
–IANS
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