A new season of La Liga is on the horizon. Will defending champions Barcelona be able to keep their stronghold on La Liga, or will Real Madrid under Zidane, who enjoyed a spectacular resurgence last season under the Frenchman, be able to win it this time round? Or will upstarts Valencia and Atletico Madrid continue their rise up the ladder and challenge the big 2 for the top prize?
The challenges facing the teams are myriad and diverse in nature. For Barcelona, they face the challenge of anti-incumbency of sorts. While they shall rely heavily on Messi, Suarez and Neymar to provide the firepower up front, concerns are being raised regarding the ability of Iniesta to last the rigours of a full season, as well as other compatriots who are on the wrong side of 30.
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Barcelona recently drafted in Samuel Umtiti to strengthen the backline, and might be looking for further reinforcements in midfield to ensure they can have a firm shot at retaining their title. Real Madrid will square off against the Catalans on 4/12/2016 (away) and 23/04/2017 (home) in the two El Clasicos which should be mouth-watering affairs.
Barcelona will go up against Atletico Madrid, in what promises to be a feisty affair, on 21/9/2016 (home) and 26/2/2017 (away). Real will face off against Atletico in the Madrid derbies on 20/11/2016 (away) and 9/4/2017 (home). This fixture has proved particularly decisive in recent title races and fans will be waiting with baited breath to see what this season’s fixtures throw up.
Atletico Madrid have been building their ranks quietly but efficiently in the summer transfer window as they look to repeat their title winning campaign of the 2014/15 season. Under Diego Simeone, Atletico have gone from strength to strength, and 2 Champions League finals in 3 years are a testament to their progress. Atletico fans will be hoping for another stellar season, led by Griezmann and co.
Valencia were one of the best teams in Europe at the start of the new millennium. However, a number of poor deals in the transfer market led them from title challengers to mid-table has-beens. However, a new crop of exciting players such as recently crowned European champions Joao Mario and Andre Gomes will give hope to the fans of a resurgence of the strong unit of yore. The fixtures are highlighted below.
Gameweek 1: 21/08/2016. The teams on the left will play at home. The reverse fixture (matchday 20) will take place on 29/01/2017
Gameweek 2: 28/08/2016. The teams on the left will play at home. The reverse fixture (matchday 21) will take place on 05/02/2017
Gameweek 3: 11/09/2016. The teams on the left will play at home. The reverse fixture (matchday 22) will take place on 12/02/2017
Gameweek 4: 18/09/2016. The teams on the left will play at home. The reverse fixture (matchday 23) will take place on 19/02/2017
Gameweek 5: 21/09/2016. The teams on the left will play at home. The reverse fixture (matchday 24) will take place on 26/02/2017
Gameweek 6: 25/09/2016. The teams on the left will play at home. The reverse fixture (matchday 25) will take place on 01/03/2017
Gameweek 7: 02/10/2016. The teams on the left will play at home. The reverse fixture (matchday 26) will take place on 05/03/2017
Gameweek 8: 16/10/2016. The teams on the left will play at home. The reverse fixture (matchday 27) will take place on 12/03/2017
Gameweek 9: 23/10/2016. The teams on the left will play at home. The reverse fixture (matchday 28) will take place on 19/03/2017
Gameweek 10: 30/10/2016. The teams on the left will play at home. The reverse fixture (matchday 29) will take place on 02/04/2017
Gameweek 11: 06/11/2016. The teams on the left will play at home. The reverse fixture (matchday 30) will take place on 05/04/2017
Gameweek 12: 20/11/2016. The teams on the left will play at home. The reverse fixture (matchday 31) will take place on 09/04/2017
Gameweek 13: 27/11/2016. The teams on the left will play at home. The reverse fixture (matchday 32) will take place on 16/04/2017
Gameweek 14: 04/12/2016. The teams on the left will play at home. The reverse fixture (matchday 33) will take place on 23/04/2017
Gameweek 15: 11/12/2016. The teams on the left will play at home. The reverse fixture (matchday 34) will take place on 26/04/2017
Gameweek 16: 18/12/2016. The teams on the left will play at home. The reverse fixture (matchday 35) will take place on 30/04/2017
Gameweek 17: 08/01/2017. The teams on the left will play at home. The reverse fixture (matchday 36) will take place on 07/05/2017
Gameweek 18: 15/01/2017. The teams on the left will play at home. The reverse fixture (matchday 37) will take place on 14/05/2017
Gameweek 19: 22/01/2017. The teams on the left will play at home. The reverse fixture (matchday 38) will take place on 21/05/2017
Download the PDF of the full fixtures here
