Another season of Spanish football prepares to kick off. Barcelona won last time out, with Girona, Huesca and Rayo Vallecano all suffering relegation. In their place are Osasuna, Granada and Mallorca. Below you can find my predictions for this year’s LaLiga season.

1. Barcelona

The Catalan giants won LaLiga last season by 11 points. Closest rivals Atlético Madrid just didn’t have the reliability to challenge the leaders, while a tragic start to Real Madrid’s season saw them out of the title race by Christmas. It wasn’t all plain sailing though, a Champions League exit courtesy of Liverpool and a defeat to Valencia in the Copa del Rey final angered fans and placed pressure on boss Valverde. This season will be different, Barcelona will undoubtedly endure a greater test than last year. But, despite their rivals strengthening, the continuity of Barcelona will benefit them – they already have their winning formula. Adding to an already gifted squad are new additions De Jong and Griezmann. Both are guaranteed to be strong assets to the team. It will be a close battle this season, but Barcelona will be too strong for the other challengers. And besides, Messi is showing no signs of slowing down.

Player to watch- Frenkie de Jong. The boy has talent and looks like a future leader. If he can continue his good form and impress he may secure an extensive spot in this Barcelona squad for years to come.

2. Real Madrid

After a season that many Madridistas want to forget, they are suddenly smiling again as their prodigal son Zidane returns to the helm. A series of transfers reminiscent of the galaticos era, including the acquisition of Hazard, Jovic, Militão and Mendy has given the Madrid squad a balance between the exciting prospects and the world-class experienced players. The talent in the side will pose a threat to the dominance of Barcelona, and I think they will push the Catalans all the way. Zidane will be struggling to name his first eleven with the array of players at his disposal and this might just cause problems as the club familiarises itself with this new look Madrid. I’ve also been startled to see Hazard playing incredibly deep during the pre-season friendlies – the boy needs to attack Zidane.

Player to watch- Takefusa Kubo was snatched up by Madrid after the Japanese youngster left Barcelona’s La Masia academy. He’s talented and been getting his fair share of playing time during the pre-season.

3. Atlético Madrid

The other team from Madrid finished a respectable second last season. The summer has been dominated by the Griezmann saga, and finally the Frenchman moved for a fee of 120 million euros. The purchase of young João Felix for 125 million is applying a lot of pressure to a 19-year-old who has only completed one season of top-flight football, but the club has confidence in his ability. Furthermore, with the way the market is developing, it might be viewed as a bargain in a decade, if it doesn’t, its going to be a costly mistake. The side have lost their fair share of talent with Griezmann, Rodri, Hernández and Godín all leaving. Though the club has responded excellently and have moved quickly to acquire replacements. The grab of Llorente from under the noses of Madrid might help their midfield – boosted further by the incoming Herrera from Porto. We will also see a new look defence next year, with the exciting Hermoso moving to the capital along with Felipe, Lodi and Kieran Tripper. This December will mark Simeone’s eighth year as manager, and I feel it may be his last season in charge as he craves a new challenge. Early reports from training sessions reveal we’re likely to see a new 4-3-1-2 formation from Atlético. They’ll continue to compete effectively despite the loss of key players, but I don’t think any team is going to be close to unsettling the traditional two giants of Spanish football.

Player to watch- João “money bags baby” Félix. Pre-season performances have certainly showed the boy is eager to get going.

4. Valencia

Valencia had a campaign of two halves last season. A woeful start saw ten draws before Christmas, only after March did the side break into the European spots and ended on a good run of results – finishing in fourth and winning the Copa del Rey against a strong Barcelona. The summer has seen a few notable moves – Neto has moved to Barcelona with Cillessen coming the other way, while Maxi Gómez’s move from Celta de Vigo should improve their goal scoring. The club have also bought young winger Vallejo from Cadiz where he had an excellent season in Segunda. I expect Valencia to continue in the same vein of form that we saw at the end of the season. There was a sense – last season – that all the pieces finally came together after months of tinkering, and if the players can work together and find their form, a top-four position is very realistic.

Player to watch – Carlos Soler had a string of impressive performances last year, hopefully he can recreate those in a season where he’ll be playing in the Champions League.

5. Real Sociedad

The last few years have had txuri-urdin fans pleading for reinforcements. They’ve had drips and drabs in the form of players like Januzaj and Merino, but now the club have pushed the boat out. Acquiring the services of young exciting players like Isak and Ødegaard has added an energy to the squad, while poaching Portu from Girona is a safe transfer that’s guaranteed a return. Suddenly, there is a wave of optimism in San Sebastián that they could achieve European football. If the team is lucky with injuries and the young talents of Sociedad live up to expectations, there’s a possibility. However, there is still the side’s defensive problem to address, perhaps we’ll see reinforcements there before the end of the window. I think it may well come down to a season of we-score-you-score for Sociedad.

Player to watch- My choice would be Isak, but I’m just so entertained every time I watch 17-year-old Ander Barrentxea play.

6. Sevilla

At the start of last season, there was optimism around the Roman Sanchez-Pizjuan Stadium. Several acquisitions looked to add energy to an ageing squad. However, Sevilla never really got going. They had some good victories but just weren’t consistent enough to carry this from game to game. 12 months later, Sevilla have got rid of the dead wood as well as Quincy Promes who was only ever effective as a vibrant substitute. Sarabia will be missed – a shining light last season – he has been snatched by PSG. In terms of bringing players in, Sevilla have been busy and brought in 11 new player. The three new centre-backs; Koundé, Carlos and Wöber should improve stability at the back, while De Jong from PSV, and Israeli Dabbur from Salzburg will help to relieve the weight on Ben Yedder’s shoulders. I think the biggest improvement will be to their central midfield with Óliver Torres and Joan Jordán set to control and deliver valuable passes as well as defensive backup. Lopetegui enters back into management after a year that saw him sacked from the national team and Real Madrid. I think he’ll do well and potentially go far in the Europa League – a competition that Sevilla have traditionally exceeded in.

Player to watch – Joan Jordán is an exciting young midfielder and one of the best in the league from the dead ball.

7. Espanyol

The Catalans had a good season last year and surprised many with their foray into the European places. At one point it looked like it would be the Champions League but after a slump in performances the club managed to secure Europa League football with a win over Real Sociedad on the final day of the season. Chinese sensation Wu Lei will need to take greater responsibility in front of goal this season if the team want to recreate last year’s success, and especially if Borja Iglesias gets his rumoured move to Real Betis. The loss of Hermoso in defence will impact the side, but they still have time to invest their acquired funds into a new centre-back. Manager Rubi has left the club for Real Betis, with David Gallego being promoted from his Espanyol B role. The season will be tough but anything less than a top-ten finish will be disappointing.

Player to watch- 22-year-old defensive midfielder Marc Roca is future captain material both for club and Country.

8. Getafe

Getafe were another surprise last year. They were at several points during the season in the top-four and only missed out thanks to an impressive run by Valencia. A spot in the Europa League isn’t bad at all though and gives the club their second ever taste of European football. Pepe Bordalás and his trademark specs has done a fabulous job with the club, and I have no doubt that they will once again play some lovely football. However, a trip round the continent brings an increased fixture list and with little experience of this, I feel the club may struggle at times. The side have generally kept hold of their important players and added to the squad – despite having one of the smallest budgets in LaLiga. Talented scotsman Jack Harper from Málaga and Gallego from Huesca will strengthen the forward roles, relieving Molina and Mata who have a combined age of 67. Getafe have also secured Cucurella on loan from Barcelona. The left-back turned left-winger will no doubt impress as he did at Eibar last year.

Player to watch – Jack Harper is Scottish-born and had been plying his trade in Málaga. Impressing in the second division, it’ll be interesting to see if he can live up to expectations. There might a senior international call-up if he can.

9.Real Betis

Betis under-performed last season. Their talented squad weren’t able to improve on the season prior – results saw manager Quique Setién leave the club at the end of the season. New manager Rubi has got a lot of work to do, but the squad isn’t short of ability. The club has already offloaded a lot of players who have failed to perform and reinvested the funds wisely. The acquisition of Giovani Lo Celso after an impressive loan spell last year is ought to please fans, and I feel this new look Betis will be formed around the young Argentine. Fekir from Lyon brings a strong and pacey option in attack, while Juanmi will be a useful player, able to occupy any attacking role. Emerson from Barcelona is a talented right-back and is comfortable with attacking overlaps. This will be a year of stability, building and perhaps slight improvement. I expect this Betis team to set their sights higher a year later.

Player to watch- Lo Celso is expected to do even greater things this year. He’s making a name for himself in the National team too, and if this Betis team is to be built around him, he’ll get even greater opportunities to shine.

10.Athletic Club

It got nervy in Bilbao last season. Before Christmas, the media had seemingly sentenced the club to the Segunda División. Journalists flocked to the city to ask fans if relegation would change the Cantera policy at the club, the answer was no, but fans were naturally concerned about the prospect of exiting LaLiga. A very respectable 8th-place finished off a dramatic transformation from newly appointed manager Garitano. His takeover saw the club resort to their usual wing play and high levels of aggression – it delivered instant results and the club clawed its way out of the perilous situation. Given the clubs recruitment policy, transfer arrivals are non-existent, but there has been some notable departures. Long serving players Iturraspe, Merino, Susaeta and Mikel Rico have all left the club, while back-up keeper Remiro has made the move to rivals Sociedad. Villalibre has been promoted to the first team and could have an important rotational role. Aduriz has renewed for another year, though at this rate, I think he’s just going to play forever. With a talented squad, they will have their big wins but I feel that now may be the time when the club struggles to compete against the fierce and talented players from outside the Basque region. With every year comes further commercialism and the Basque region just isn’t very big compared to the reach of football and the variety of players we see in LaLiga.

Player to watch- Peru Nolaskoain looks set to be a fantastic player for the future, he can play as a central midfielder or as centre-back where he impressed in stints last season. His intercepting is vigorous and his passing range is magnificent.

11. Levante

Last season, Levante didn’t start well, but they were able to have a good run in October, culminating in a win over Real Madrid at the Bernabeu. That was somewhat of a peak though – the rest of the season happened to be a slow slide down to a 15th place finish. The side primarily rely on counter attacks and are dangerous from crosses and set-pieces. However, they are seemingly weak at defending the thing they excel at. Their ineptness in this area can be attributed to a lack of tracking back and over-commitment going forward, but if they want to improve this season, it needs to change. I think they will do better this year, and a mid-table finish will ease worries of relegation. Levante have done well to keep hold of their best players, and the addition of Sergio León and Gonzalo Melero should improve their central attacking moves.

Player to watch – Borja Mayoral on loan from Real Madrid helped lead the under-21 national team to victory in the European Championships, and he could well play an important role in Levante’s season. He didn’t really find his form last season so I’m expecting better from him this year.

12. Osasuna

What a season the club from Pamplona had last year. The club started inconsistently – winning occasionally and floating around mid-table until Christmas. With the passing of the new year, there was a new found determination in the camp, fueled by manager Jagoba Arrasate. In the second half of the season the team won 17 matches, drew four and lost two. It was a run of champions, and Osasuna finished top with automatic promotion to LaLiga. Now this season will undoubtedly be harder, but I think the club will adapt well. Fortunately they have kept hold of many key players from last season, and in some cases, secured permanent deals from loans. The squad is talented, and they have remarkable togetherness – perhaps explaining why there has been a need for continuity within the squad and a lack of new signings. The team will do well at home – the El Sadar is perhaps home to one of the best atmospheres in Spain despite its modest size, and teams will hate to travel to such an intimidating environment.

Player to watch – Roberto Torres doesn’t look 30-years-old when he’s playing in this side. His energy and danger in the middle will cause problems for many LaLiga sides this season, and his set-pieces are often critical to his teams success. Watch carefully if he is stood over a dangerous free-kick.

13. Villarreal

The Yellow Submarine struggled to really get going last season, and they soon found themselves in the relegation zone during the winter months. Santi Cazorla was impressive with 10 assists and 4 goals, and was much the driving force behind many of the club’s victories last season. The club actually finished with a goal difference much better than the sides around them, which conveys that the side can defend as well as be very dangerous on their day. Manager Calleja started the season in charge, but after only one win in nine games he was sacked and replaced by Luis García. His replacement lasted a month before he was dismissed, and Calleja was reinstated. I think Villarreal will have a slight improvement this season, but I cant see them achieving anything more. The arrival of Ruben Peña and Raúl Albiol will bolster the defence, but the loss of Pablo Fornals is a big one. The upcoming season would have seen him have a defining role in midfield, instead West Ham have got a very very good player.

Player to watch- Karl Toko Ekambi was the club’s top scorer last season, I expect him to get on the end of Cazorla’s passes for an even better goal tally this season.

14. Leganés

Driven on by Super Pepiño – the clubs cucumber, superhero mascot, Leganés had a decent finish in LaLga with a respectable 13th place. The delightful Moroccan En-Nesyri wondered fans last year with his slick dribbles and eye for goal. He’s back training with the squad after the African Cup of Nations, but several clubs are said to be interested. The team have secured Martin Braithwaite on a permanent deal after he impressed on loan last season with five assists and four goals. Unfortunately, El Zhar, the team’s other Moroccan player last year, has made a move to the Qatari league. I think the club will finish in a similar position to last year. The club have a small budget, and I think their main aim will be to stay in the competition. I wouldn’t be surprised though if Leganés have a good cup run this year, they are a team that surprise many on their day.

Player to watch- If he stays, En-Nesyri. He could be a star of the future, and he will be key to this Leganés squad if they want to improve on last season. If En-Nesyri goes, look out for Jonathan Silva, a very talented Argentine left-back.

15. Celta de Vigo

Celta de Vigo have two sides. One is with Iago Aspas as he assists, scores and just about causes immense havoc wherever he is on the pitch. Then there is the side without Aspas, when Celta look lost – lacking aggression and direction. A lengthy spell on the sides for their talisman, saw the team drop dangerously to the depths of the table. Fortunately, Aspas returned before the end of the season and had an immediate impact, carrying the team single-handedly in many games to earn valuable points. A total of 20 goals for the forward means the native Galician will be once again vital to a successful season. Maxi Gómez was second in the scoring stats for the club and did his best to drive on the team when Aspas was out injured. Though not as influential, Gómez still caught the eye of Valencia, where he has now moved for close to 12 million euros. Looking at arrivals, Denis Suarez has arrived from Barcelona while striker Santi Mina has been acquired on a free transfer from Valencia. Joseph Aidoo looks to be a good signing – the young Ghanaian centre-back shows a lot of potential. If Aspas stays fit, I think the squad will be strong enough to stay away from a relegation fight, however, if he picks up another injury, the side may well be looking at Segunda división football next season.

Player to watch – Just watch Aspas, he is Celta Vigo and you’ll find it difficult to see a player who puts more heart into playing for a club.

16. Deportivo Alavés

Deportivo Alavés were at one point last season looking at European football. The team’s wonderfully aggressive set-pieces undid the defence of the league’s best sides, but as time went on it felt that the players struggled to keep up with the intensity of their tactics, while other teams seemingly saw weaknesses in their defence. I think they’ll start well again this year but it’ll quickly become apparent that there has been little improvement on last year. The signings of Lucas Pérez of West Ham and Joselu from Newcastle offer hope and possible replacements for the departure of striker Calleri. However, the summer saw winger Jony return to his home club Malaga before being sold to Lazio. The player’s ten assists are irreplaceable, along with his pace and counter-attacking proficiency. The reason I don’t think they’ll get finish any lower than 16th is central defender Maripán. The young Chilean was fantastic last year and could play for any LaLiga side.

Player to watch – 25-year-old Guillermo Maripán is a dominant force at the back and should expect interest from other clubs if he continues with his good form.

17. Eibar

What a lovely little club Eibar are, and they have been defying the odds ever since they earned promotion to LaLiga for the first time in 2014. Last season, they once again showed terrific signs of progress with impressive victories over Real Madrid, Espanyol, Valencia and a draw with Barcelona. A twelfth placed finish was impressive when taking into account the club’s budget and origins, however, the summer has seen a handful of notable departures, which I feel may have a dramatic effect on the current season. The loss of Joan Jordán to Sevilla is huge. Eibar like to keep posession of the ball, and Jordán was instrumental with his distribution as well as his brilliance from the dead ball – specifically free-kicks. Cucurella – the young left back from Barcelona – looked to be staying at Eibar but he was bought back and sold to Espanyol. His danger on the left last year cannot be understated. Meanwhile, right-back Peña provided the overlapping runs on the right – he has now left for Villareal. The club has invested in replacements but Expósito, Quique and Bigas dont equal those they are replacing. The return of Japanese star Inui is a big boost, and he can perhaps takeover Cucurella’s role from last season. The club will survive… just.

Player to watch – Goalkeeper Dmitrović is brilliant and was busy last year, he may well be the difference between survival and relegation this year.

18. Valladolid

Drama followed Valladolid for most of last season. A takeover from Ronaldo Nazário pumped cash and optimism into the newly promoted club. Things didn’t exactly go to plan though, the pitch against Barcelona in their first home match caused embarrassment as pieces of turf lifted and moved – like a torn snooker felt. After a steady set of results at the start of the year, the club had one win between February and April, placing them in a relegation scrap. Drama even followed after the end of the season when an investigation began regarding possible match-fixing on the last day of the season. The investigation is still on-going. There’s not been much transfer activity over the summer, though Sandro – formally of Everton – hopes to reignite his career at the club. With no notable changes in he squad, I feel the club will struggle again this season. The team’s physicality and wing play can be effective, but most LaLiga teams will be able to keep the ball and counter-attack down the wings after a Valladolid attack.

I think a relegation fight awaits, and they’ll find it difficult to compete when the clubs around them have invested effectively.

Player to watch – Rubén Alcaraz was Valladolid’s best player last year, and he’s effective at controlling the midfield areas.

19. Granada

Newly promoted Granada clinched second place in Segunda last year and would have been champions had Osasuna not wrecked havok with their ridiculous winning streak. They join Betis and Sevilla as the third Andaluscian club. Over the summer, the club has released and sold many fringe players to make space for several signings. The most notable recruit is Roberto Soldado on a free transfer from Fenerbache. The side have also bought Machís from Udinese and Duarte from Sporting Lisbon as well as taking young defensive midfielder Herrera on loan from Manchester City. The side will be physical this year, as they try to compete against the teams at the bottom of the table, and I think they’ll surprise some with how good they are, however, the gap between the top two leagues is always widening and I feel it will be all too much for the promoted side.

Player to watch – Antonio Puertas scored ten goals from midfield last season, his team will be relying on him to contribute again.

20. Mallorca

Mallorca won the Segunda Playoffs last season, out playing a strong Malaga side and Deportivo de la Coruña. In an attempt to best prepare for the upcoming season the team have taken on some players with LaLiga experience including Alegría from Betis. Mallorca have also acquired players on permanent deals after loan spells last season. Striker Budimir joins from Crotone, while defender Valjent returns from Verona. Unfortunately, I feel Mallorca’s campaign might be ill-fated. The current crop of players are going to find LaLiga difficult. The club were able to make it happen when it mattered in the Playoffs last year, but to compete consistently over a season against the best in Spain is just too big of an ask.

Player to watch – Lago Junior dazzled crowds with his skillful wing play last year, and his personality tells me he isn’t going to be afraid of taking on some of the best defenders in the world.

Top scorer – Lionel Messi

Top assists – Santi Cazorla

Most clean sheets – Jan Oblak