The La Liga returns this weekend as games will be played between Friday and Monday in stadia across Spain.
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The curtain raiser will happen at the Estadio El Sadar in Pamplona, where Osasuna play host to Sevilla.
Having finished fourth in the league last season, three points behind second place Barcelona, Julen Lopetegui will be hopeful of a positive start to the season against a team whom they are unbeaten in their last ten games.
Osasuna finished a place better last season than in the previous season and also earned a point in a goalless draw in this fixture last season. Jagoba Arrasate will be looking to avoid a defeat and the home support he will hope will spur his team to a winning start.
On Saturday Celta Vigo play host to Espanyol before Villarreal travel to newly promoted Valladolid in the evening.
To round off action on Saturday, Barcelona will be at home against Rayo Vallecano late in the night.
The Catalan giants enjoyed a positive turnaround following the appointment of Xavi Hernandez midway through the last season and climbed their way up the table to finish second behind Champions, Real Madrid.
However, the turnaround did not prevent Rayo Vallecano from completing double of them as Alvaro Garcia’s early strike gave Vallecano all three points in this fixture last season.
Radamel Falcao’s goal on the stroke of the half hour mark had given Rayo Vallecano a 1-0 win in the first leg when Ronald Koeman was in charge and even Xavi could not prevent a defeat in the second leg.
Prior to losing in both their meetings last season, Barcelona had won each of their last eleven meetings with Saturday’s opponent and will be looking to return to winning ways to kickstart the season on a positive note.
The fixture will come too early for some of Barcelona’s new signings whom are yet to be registered by the club.
On Sunday, game starts in Cadiz with the home side entertaining Real Sociedad. Real Sociedad will consider themselves the favourites having won each of their last four meetings, conceding just once in the process.
Valencia kick of the new era under Gennaro Gattuso right after that as they play host to newly promoted Girona, who shocked the home side the last time they came around back in 2018.
European Champions, Real Madrid, fresh from winning the UEFA Super Cup following a 2-0 win over Eintracht Frankfurt in Helsinki will resume their La Liga title defence away from home to newly promoted Almeria.
Real Madrid have won each of of their last five games against Almeria and a victory for them should not be too hard to come by. Not taking anything away from the host, it is going to be an uphill task against Carlo Ancelotti’s side.
Actions extend to Monday when Athletic Club host Mallorca, Atletico Madrid travel to Getafe and Betis play at home against Elche in the final action of the gameweek.
Atletico have quite an astonishing record against Getafe, wining 18 and drawing four in their last 22 meetings, with Getafe only able to score in their last two meetings in that time.
Athletic Club have also been dominant against Mallorca, only losing once in their last 10 meetings, winning seven times and in the final kickoff of the gameweek, Elche edges Betis in their last nine meetings.
Author: Kehinde Hassan Afolabi
