• 2016/17 La Liga preview:
Atletico Madrid | Barcelona | Real Madrid | 5 players to watch
Villarreal finished fourth in the Primera Liga last term after an exceptional, though low-scoring, season. They will be hoping to do better than when they were last in the Uefa Champions League, where the dual demands and a horrific injury list saw them relegated in 2012. They are in the midst of a Champions League play-off against Monaco.
Marcelino, the man who got them there, left the club to much surprise in pre-season, with frustrations about the lack of reinforcements. They also sold Eric Bailly to Manchester United for £30 million (Dh143.4m). Denis Suarez has also gone, while Roberto Soldado picked up a cruciate injury. Brazilian striker Alexandre Pato has been signed and will hope to recapture his early promise.
Several Primera Liga clubs sold their best. Celta Vigo lost Nolito to Manchester City, but Espanyol are one to watch after years of selling their home-grown talents.
Their new Chinese owners say they are aiming for the Champions League and the Barcelona side have installed former Al Ahli and Al Ain manager Quique Sanchez Flores as boss. New signings include Jose Antonio Reyes, Leo Baptistao, Pablo Piatti and Valencia’s Javi Fuego. Expect an improvement on last season’s 13th for the club who have been on the slide since moving to their new home in 2009.
Athletic Bilbao have not signed any new players but their iconic captain Carlos Gurpegui has retired. The Basques also proudly promote players from the B team, as they did with last season’s breakout star, Inaki Williams.
Former Sevilla and Spurs manager Juande Ramos is at Malaga and spending shrewdly. Gus Poyet’s Real Betis have spent €20 million (Dh82.7m), too, but Sevilla have long been the Andalusian kings.
The Europa League winners lost manager Unai Emery to Paris Saint-Germain, but they have former Chile coach Jorge Sampaoli in charge. He will have to get over the loss of key players Ever Banega, Kevin Gameiro and Grzegorz Krychowiak.
He will also have to improve Sevilla’s dreadful domestic away form. Under sporting director Monchi, Sevilla recruit well. Watch out for Luciano Vietto, Montoya and Matias Kranevitter.
Valencia, who had a shocking last term, look set to lose defender Shkodran Mustafi, on top of the already departed Andre Gomes, Alvaro Negredo, Pablo Piatti, and Sofiane Feghouli. Nani is among their 13 signings. Thirteen! They hope it is a lucky 13.
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