Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti’s plans for a multi-pronged assault on all silverware in what is expected to be his final season at the Santiago Bernabeu before assuming the same role with Brazil’s national team has been disrupted by an Anterior Cruciate Ligament injury to goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois. The Belgian has been monumental for Los Blancos since switching to the Spanish capital where he’s won every available silverware.
Club president Florentino Perez has reportedly made an offer to Sevilla to sign Morocco’s World Cup hero Yacine Bounou whereas Chelsea’s Kepa Arrizabalaga and free agent David De Gea have also been sounded out as the record Liga Santander champions prepare for Saturday night’s trip to Ernest Valverde’s Athletic Bilbao. The Italian has already spent €128m on Jude Bellingham, Turkish starlet Arda Guler, Fran Garcia and Joselu Mato.
Champions Barcelona begin life without legends Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba as well as French winger Ousmane Dembele when they travel to Getafe on Sunday night before hosting Cadiz at the city’s Estadi Olympic Lluis Companys which hosted the 1992 Barcelona Games. Busquets position at the basement of midfield has gone to La Masia Academy product Oriel Romeu while German star Ilkay Gundogan and Inigo Martinez have joined Blaugrana on free transfers.
Barcelona’s traditional hunting ground, Camp Nou, has been closed for renovation but manager Xavi Hernandez won’t use it as an excuse as he seeks a tonic for his side’s poor European form. The Catalan giants haven’t played in the later rounds of European football’s most prestigious tournament, the Uefa Champions League, for three years.
The biggest challenge to the Barcelona-Real Madrid duopoly is to come from Atletico Madrid who have beefed up their ranks by turning Antoine Greizmann’s loan from Barca into a permanent transfer. Premier League pair Caglar Soyuncu and Cesar Azpilicueta have meanwhile moved to the Wanda Metropolitano on free transfers to bolster Diego Simeone’s numbers. Atleti begin their season by hosting newly promoted Granada.
SATURDAY
Real Sociedad v Girona,
Las Palmas v Mallorca,
Athletic Bilbao v Real Madrid
SUNDAY
Celta Vigo v Osasuna,
Villarreal v Real Betis,
Getafe v Barcelona
MONDAY
Cadiz v Deportivo Alaves,
Atletico Madrid v Granada
FRIDAY
Mallorca v Villarreal,
Valencia v Las Palmas
