La Liga returns this weekend but without many of the most familiar faces in Spanish soccer.
While the top division in Spain resumes, reigning champion Barcelona, rival Real Madrid and even typical members of the chasing pack like Atlético Madrid and Real Betis won't debut until later this month.
La Liga returns Aug. 15 with Alaves hosting Getafe and later Rayo Vallecano traveling to Sevilla. The debut of Villarreal, with an Aug. 16 trip to Racing Santander, means at least one contender is in action on the actual opening weekend.
But the league's decision to split its opening round, made after back-and-forth with both the players union and the federation, means most of the league's top teams won't kick off on opening weekend.
Defending champions
Barcelona won't start its campaign until Aug. 23, traveling to face Elche in what is technically a Round 2 match before making up the Round 1 game with Athletic on Aug. 27.
Jose Mourinho's return as Real Madrid manager comes Aug. 22 at Espanyol – also a Round 2 game – before his home return Aug. 26 against Real Sociedad.
Confused? It's puzzling, but it's the compromise that teams came to with La Liga pushing for an Aug. 15 resumption but the big teams knowing they'd still be recovering players from the 2026 FIFA World Cup – and still be putting their squads together with the transfer window wide open.
The move produced an odd calendar, but one that could work out for fans. From Aug. 15 until the beginning of September, there is only one day (Aug. 18) without at least one La Liga match.
Did Spain's World Cup victory delay the start of La Liga?
Many of La Roja's heroes are only recently returning to the training ground, having spent the last several weeks celebrating, resting and recuperating after the run to a second Men's World Cup win.
But that is a happy coincidence with the late start La Liga's biggest teams will have at the start of their campaigns.
The decision to split up the starting round of the season came in early June and the Spanish federation signed off on the calendar at its annual meeting on June 30, well before the July 19 World Cup final.
When do the rest of the top five European leagues kick off?
The English Premier League returns on Aug. 21, as does France's Ligue 1. Italy's Serie A begins the same weekend, with the first game of the season taking place Aug. 22. Germany's Bundesliga is back Aug. 28.
Spain's early start time allows teams to get a number of matches in before the combined international break in September and October, the first time the men's game will see one of the expanded breaks designed to be less disruptive to the club season.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: La Liga is back! Why aren't Barcelona or Real Madrid playing this weekend?
