La Liga is set to kick off its 2026/27 season, with several clubs waiting for their players to return from the World Cup. Barcelona and Real Madrid, the defending champions, will not play their first matches until next weekend, as many of their players participated in the latter stages of the World Cup. Hansi Flick, Barcelona's coach, will face Elche on August 23, a day after Jose Mourinho, who is back at Real Madrid for a second spell, takes charge of his first match as the club's manager, visiting Espanyol. The intrigue surrounding whether Mourinho can revive Real Madrid after two trophy-less seasons and how the club's recent signings will settle in are topics of interest. Additionally, Atletico Madrid, which finished the last season without any titles and in fourth place, faces an uncertain future with Julian Alvarez, who is seeking a transfer to Barcelona. Although Alvarez has returned to training, it is unlikely he will play in the first match. However, his participation could be crucial and face criticism from Atletico's fans at the Metropolitano stadium on Wednesday. On the other hand, Inigo Perez, the new coach of Villarreal, has taken over from Marcelino Garcia Toral, who has been replaced after the last season. With talented attacking players like Ayoze Perez, Nicolas Pepe, and Alberto Moleiro, Villarreal could be one of the most interesting teams this season. Their debut in the season will be against Racing Santander on Sunday, and they will face Atletico Madrid in the Metropolitano stadium on August 23, one of the toughest tests for the team. Additionally, three historically significant clubs, Racing Santander, Deportivo La Coruna, and Malaga, return to La Liga after lengthy absences, offering strong fan bases and vibrant support.