Real Madrid will look for more home heroics from new signing
David Beckham when they begin the defence of their league title against Real Betis at the Bernabeu on Saturday (kickoff 1730 GMT).
Real have had an unsettling build-up to the new campaign, featuring an exhausting tour of the Far East,
Claude Makelele's pay rebellion and an as-yet-unsuccessful search for a new centre-back.
New Portuguese coach
Carlos Queiroz, brought in to replace Vicente del
Bosque despite the latter's extraordinary run of success over the past four seasons, at least had the satisfaction of landing his first title in the Super Cup in midweek.
Beckham capped a much-improved performance in that 3-0 win over Real Mallorca with the team's third goal, and
Queiroz will hope the England captain once again demonstrates his liking for the big occasion with an eye-catching display against Betis.
With
Beckham's precise passing and dead-ball skills now added to the mix, Real should be even more of a danger in attack than last season, when they won 4-1 at home to Betis in the league.
Queiroz will have serious worries about the defence, though, unless the club manage to bring in a replacement for departed club captain
Fernando Hierro before the transfer deadline.
The coach is also likely to be without
Makelele, with the Frenchman expected to complete a move to Chelsea on Friday.
Real should still have enough quality to overcome Betis and launch their title defence with a solid start.
Betis have the talent to match any side on their day, but too often their form deserts them away from home.
They will hope the addition to their squad of former Real Madrid striker
Tote will help them avoid a repeat of last season's heavy defeat.
Other matches being played in the Spanish first division this weekend (kickoff times GMT):
Saturday:
ATHLETIC BILBAO v BARCELONA (1930)
A trip to the Basque country represents a tricky start for new Barcelona coach Frank Rijkaard and the club's 30 million euros ($32.76 million) signing Ronaldinho.
With Dutch centre-forward Patrick Kluivert carrying a two-match suspension into the new season, Ronaldinho will play alongside
Javier Saviola up front. Mexican centre-half Rafael Marquez is likely to miss out with a knee injury.
Saturday's game will also be a first for Bilbao coach Ernesto
Valverde following his appointment to replace Jupp Heynckes. He has had no money to spend and it will be asking a lot of his squad to start the season with a victory.
ESPANYOL v REAL SOCIEDAD (1845)
Espanyol boss Javier
Clemente should give debuts to new arrivals Tayfun Korkut, the Turkish midfielder signed from Real Sociedad, and Catalan playmaker Jordi Cruyff for this clash with last season's runners-up.
Sociedad have also strengthened their squad over the close-season and South Korea midfielder Lee Chun-soo should get his first league run-out, playing just behind the devastating forward partnership of Darko Kovacevic and Nihat Kahveci.
MALAGA v VILLARREAL (1900)
Malaga begin life without former coach Joaquin Peiro and prolific strikers Dario
Silva and Dely Valdes against a Villarreal team with high hopes of a successful season.
While new Malaga coach Juande
Ramos will be struggling to put together a forward line, his opposite number at Villarreal Benito Floro can call on the Br
azilian Sonny Anderson, Spanish international Jose Mari and Argentine playmaker Juan Roman Riquelme, signed this week on loan from Barcelona.
VALENCIA v VALLADOLID (1930)
Valencia coach Rafa Benitez will hope to see new Br
azilian striker Ricardo Oliveira settle quickly to give his side's title challenge an early lift.
Valencia, league champions in 2002, slipped down to fifth last season as they paid the price for their lack of ambition in attack, but the arrival of Oliveira from Santos should correct that problem.
Valladolid had one of the best defences in the country last season, but centre-back Mario has gone to Barcelona and they will need former Real Madrid defender Julio
Cesar to rediscover his form as quickly as possible.
Sunday:
ALBACETE v OSASUNA (1900)
Newly promoted Albacete will have high hopes of getting off to a positive start against Osasuna, who just managed to avoid relegation last season and are likely to struggle again this term.
CELTA VIGO v MURCIA (1800)
Celta scraped into the Champions League in midweek, a 2-0 defeat away to Slavia Prague taking them through the qualifying round 3-2 on aggregate.
The hard job of balancing European and domestic campaigns will now begin for coach Miguel Angel Lotina, but he will be reasonably confident of starting the season on a winning note against Murcia.
Last season's division two champions have hardly added to their squad over the close-season and have lost their coach David Vidal. This could be the start of a difficult campaign.
RACING SANTANDER v REAL MALLORCA (1800)
Mallorca suffered a 3-0 defeat at Real Madrid on Wednesday in the second leg of the Super Cup, but coach Jaime
Pacheco will focus on his side's 2-1 win in the first leg as a guide to what his side can achieve this season.
In that game, Cameroon international
Samuel Eto'o and new Dutch signing Arnold Bruggink formed a destructive partnership in attack and the islanders should have too much firepower for Santander.
REAL ZARAGOZA v DEPORTIVO CORUNA (1930)
Zaragoza, runners-up in division two last season, look to have a decent chance of staying up and this will be a good chance for a confidence-boosting first win.
Deportivo had an extremely tough Champions League qualifier against Rosenborg Trondheim in midweek, only just managing to sneak through on a 1-0 aggregate.
The 2000 league champions have lost top scorer Roy Makaay to Bayern Munich and will need Albert Luque or
Diego Tristan to take more responsibility this term.
SEVILLA v ATLETICO MADRID (1930)
Atletico Madrid will hope to complete the signing of Argentine midfielder Ariel Ibagaza from Real Mallorca in time to play against Sevilla.
Atletico have high hopes of challenging for a Champions League place this season under new coach Gregorio Manzano but Sevilla, bolstered by the signing of Uruguayan striker Dario
Silva, will pose a tough challenge for the opening weekend.