MADRID.- After a frustrating draw in their league debut in Mallorca, Real Madrid will host newly promoted Real Valladolid on Sunday in a Santiago Bernabeu who will dress up to welcome his new star Kylian Mbappé.
The French international striker, who disappointed in his debut in the Spanish championship, has been awaited for a long time by the ‘merengue’ faithful, while the first rumours of a possible lack of balance on the pitch and a difficult cohabitation in attack between the new ‘Fantastic Four’ Bellingham, Vinícius, Mbappé and Rodrygo, all of them with a marked vocation to play on the left flank, have appeared in the Spanish press.
On the other hand, immersed in a hectic ‘mercato’, FC Barcelona, who won in Valencia thanks to a double from Robert Lewandowski (2-1), host Athletic Club on Saturday, with Nico Williams, one of the stars of Euro 2024, who would have closed the door to joining the Catalan club.
Barça have signed another European champion, Dani Olmo, but it is not yet known whether the midfielder will be able to play in that match, as he is not yet officially registered in La Liga due to the club’s financial problems.
Alonso does not consider himself a favorite
“In my opinion, Bayern Munich are the favourites,” said Bayer Leverkusen coach Xabi Alonso on Thursday. The Werkself are the reigning Bundesliga champions and will start the 2024-2025 league season on Friday in Mönchengladbach.
Bayer Leverkusen had a near-perfect 2023-24 Bundesliga season, with 28 wins and six draws, becoming the first German club to complete the season without a single defeat. They thus won their first league title in 120 years of existence, 17 points ahead of Stuttgart and 18 ahead of Bayern Munich.
“Last season means nothing. Everything starts from scratch again. We are not the favourites, in my opinion it is Bayern’s. Based on the squad and history, it is clear,” said the Basque coach, who has been in charge of Leverkusen since October 2022.
