The 2026/27 LALIGA EA SPORTS season will kick off on August 15 with two opening matches: Deportivo Alavés vs. Getafe CF and Sevilla FC vs. Rayo Vallecano. Everything points to an exciting season, especially in the title race, where FC Barcelona will seek to win its third consecutive championship, though it will face José Mourinho’s Real Madrid. These are some of the major storylines that will mark the start of the new season.
Hansi Flick Aims for His Third Consecutive Title
FC Barcelona head coach Hansi Flick is entering his third season at the helm of the Blaugrana after winning the last two editions of LALIGA EA SPORTS. So far this century, four Barça coaches have managed to win the championship in their first two seasons, but only Pep Guardiola has managed to string together a third consecutive title. That will now be the German coach’s goal. However, the start of the season could prove challenging, as FC Barcelona was by far the LALIGA EA SPORTS club that contributed the most players to the 2026 World Cup. As many as 15 players from the squad traveled to North America to compete in the tournament.
The Return of José Mourinho
Real Madrid enters the season as FC Barcelona’s main title contender and will once again be led by a LALIGA EA SPORTS champion coach. José Mourinho returns to the Santiago Bernabéu bench after winning the championship in the 2011–12 season with a record 100 points. The Portuguese coach is aware that repeating such a feat will be difficult, but he faces the challenge with confidence thanks to a revamped roster that includes players such as Marc Cucurella, Denzel Dumfries, Bernardo Silva, and Ibrahima Konaté.
Three historic clubs return to the top flight
There is great anticipation surrounding the three newly promoted teams, as all of them are part of Spanish soccer history. Real Racing Club won LALIGA HYPERMOTION last season and brings top-flight soccer back to Santander for the first time since the 2011/12 season. In addition, RC Deportivo and Málaga CF are returning to LALIGA EA SPORTS after last competing in the league during the 2017/18 season. The top flight will thus feature a strong contingent of historic clubs.
The Galician derby returns
RC Deportivo’s promotion also marks the return of the Galician derby against RC Celta. The teams from A Coruña and Vigo haven’t faced each other in LALIGA EA SPORTS since 2018, but they’ll go head-to-head again this season, with the first matchup scheduled for the weekend of January 4. This is one of the most traditional rivalries in Spanish soccer and, moreover, one of the most evenly matched: RC Celta has 52 wins, RC Deportivo has 49, and there have been 32 draws.
A New Era at Athletic Club
Athletic Club will be one of the most interesting teams to follow this season following the arrival of Edin Terzić as head coach, replacing Ernesto Valverde. The German coach will bring fresh ideas to the Bilbao-based team and will aim to build on the successful work of his predecessor. With World Cup champions like Unai Simón, Aymeric Laporte, and Nico Williams on the roster, he’ll have a high-caliber squad to take on the challenge.
New Coaches Among the European Contenders
Several teams aiming to compete for European spots are also debuting new head coaches. Iñigo Pérez has joined Villarreal CF with the goal of qualifying “El Submarino Amarillo” for the Champions League for the third consecutive season. His former position at Rayo Vallecano is now filled by Beñat San José. Meanwhile, CA Osasuna hopes that the arrival of Luis Miguel Ramis will allow the team to climb the standings and once again contend for a European spot.
Simeone’s Fifteenth Season at Atlético Madrid
At Atlético Madrid, Diego Simeone is entering his fifteenth full season at the helm of the team. The Argentine coach has not won a title since the 2020–21 season, so he will look to end that drought this campaign—whether by lifting the Copa del Rey, the Spanish Super Cup, the Champions League, or winning LALIGA EA SPORTS for the third time as a head coach.
