La Liga begins: Mourinho returns to Real, Barcelona hunt a third straight crown, Stole in the top flight

The 2026–27 La Liga season kicks off this weekend (15 August 2026) amid a congested opening stretch designed to accommodate players who took part in the World Cup final; fixtures will be played almost daily through 31 August and some matchdays may overlap.

Big names, big questions

All eyes will be on Valencia’s Macedonian goalkeeper Stole Dimitrievski as he attempts to establish form for his club, but the headline across Spain is the sensational return of Jose Mourinho to Real Madrid — 13 years after his first spell at the club.

Florentino Perez’s decision to reappoint Mourinho surprised some observers, given the Portuguese coach’s mixed reputation after spells at Tottenham, Roma, Fenerbahce and Benfica. Still, Real’s leadership judged the club needed a firm hand after the unsuccessful experiment with Xabi Alonso, who was hired after Carlo Ancelotti’s four-year run and left in January amid reports of limited connection with players and disagreements inside the club. Alvaro Arbeloa finished last season in charge.

Real arrive at the new campaign with several notable additions and a strengthened squad profile: Marco Cucurella and Bernardo Silva add experience, while Denzel Dumfries and Ibrahima Konate bring physicality; attacking prospects such as Carlos Espi and Jan Diomande carry potential. Vinicius renewed his contract through 2032 and the arrival of Kylian Mbappe rounds out a roster that looks deeper than in recent years. The central question is whether Mourinho’s pragmatic methods will translate into trophies in today’s game.

Barcelona, meanwhile, under Hansi Flick are aiming for a rare third consecutive title. The Catalans will rely on 19‑year‑old Lamine Jamal — the season’s player with 16 goals and 11 assists, recognised as the club’s player of the year for a second straight campaign despite injury problems — and a coaching staff rewarded with a two‑year contract extension. However, Barcelona lost many of last season’s goals when Robert Lewandowski moved to MLS side Chicago Fire, Marcus Rashford returned to Manchester United after his loan was not made permanent, and Ferran Torres joined PSG.

Reinforcements like Karim Adeyemi and Anthony Gordon have arrived, but questions remain about finishing. Barcelona are pursuing Julian Alvarez and remain interested in Rodri from Manchester City, whose addition would further elevate an already-strong midfield.

Behind the two giants, Atlético Madrid, Villarreal, Athletic Bilbao, Real Betis and Valencia are preparing to contest for European places and the best remaining positions in the table.

Photo: press material from the event