2021-2022 LA LIGA SEASON PREVIEW (START DATE, TEAM NEWS, AND FIXTURES)

The 2021-2022 La Liga season is drawing closer and closer with players such as Luis Suarez and Karim Benzema all preparing to battle it out for the coveted La Liga trophy. Atletico Madrid are the defending champions having beat the likes of city rivals Real Madrid and Barcelona to the title.

Ofcourse, the biggest news this summer has been the departure of Lionel Messi from Barcelona. The Argentine left the Catalonia club after the club announced the player will not continue with the club due to financial and structural issues.

We answer all the questions you may have about the upcoming season in this article

What is the La Liga 2021/22 start date?

The upcoming La Liga season will get underway on 13 August 2021 with, Valencia taking on Getafe at the Mestalla. And will conclude on 22 May 2022.

Who got promoted to La Liga in 2021?

Espanyol will return to La Liga after spending a year in the Segunda Division. They will be joined by Real Mallorca and Rayo Vallecano. Eibar, Real Valladolid, and Huesca who were all relegated from the La Liga last season will be replacing them in the Segunda Division.

How many games will La Liga teams play in 2020/21?

Each of the 20 teams will play each other twice, once at home and once away, meaning each team will play 38 matches. A total of 380 games are set to be played over the season and you can place your bet on all these games on CediBet.com.

Which teams will participate in the league?

The 17 surviving teams from last season will be joined by the 3 newly promoted teams. Here is a rundown of all the 20 teams;

ATLETICO MADRID

Diego Simone’s side are the defending champions after winning the title on the last day of the season. The signing of Luis Suarez proved to be a masterstroke for the Madrid side after the Uruguay international scored 21 goals en route to the team’s 11th La Liga title win.

Argentine midfielder Rodrigo De Paul has already joined from Udinese this summer. And there are talks of a possible return of Antoine Griezmann to the club just 2 years after the player’s 120m move to Barcelona as they seek to retain their La Liga title.
Atletico visits Celta Vigo on matchday one.

BARCELONA

Lionel Messi’s transfer request last summer set the tone for what was a truly disappointing season for Barcelona both on and off the pitch. On the pitch there were some insipid performances which culminated in the team finishing 3rd in the La Liga whiles off the pitch issues were surrounding the club’s presidency which resulted in the resignation of then-president Josep Bartomeu last October.

Ronald Koeman’s side will be eager to put last season's disappointment behind them and will hope Lionel Messi's departure after 21 years at the club doesn't derail their title aspirations. Free agents Sergio Aguero and Memphis Depay have also been added to the squad. They kick off the season at home against Real Sociedad.

REAL MADRID

Real Madrid was beaten to the La Liga title by city rivals Atletico Madrid as they finished the league in 2nd place. They end the season without a trophy, the first time since the 2014/15 season. Zinedine Zidane has since resigned and been replaced by former coach Carlo Ancelloti.

Influential defenders Sergio Ramos and Raphael Varane have also moved on to sign for PSG and Manchester United respectively. Los Blancos have signed defender David Alaba from Bayern Munich on a free transfer and have been linked with PSG striker Kylian Mbappe.

They kick off their season away against Alaves

Other participating teams include Alaves, Atletic Bilbao, Cadiz, Celta Vigo, Elche, Espanyol, Getafe, Granada, Levante, Mallorca, Osasuna, Rayo Vallecano, Real Betis, Real Madrid, Real Sociedad, Sevilla, Valencia and Villareal.

Here is a look at the fixtures for La Liga’s opening weekend

Will La Liga have fans in the stadium next season?

Yes, supporters have been cleared by the Spanish Authorities to return to stadiums for the start of the 2021/22 La Liga season after Covid restrictions were lifted.

Who will win the La Liga?

The La Liga title has been won by either Atletico Madrid, city rivals Real Madrid, and Barcelona since the 2003/04 season when Valencia won it. The trend is likely to continue considering the fact that the three teams have arguably the strongest squads.

Defending champions Atletico Madrid are in a strong position to maintain the title with both Real Madrid and Barcelona still struggling financially due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Diego Simone has signed a new contract and the core of their winning team has been maintained as well. The addition of attacking midfielder Rodrigo De Paul will further boost the team.

But of course, Barcelona and Real Madrid cannot be ruled out either! And the transfer window is still opened meaning any of the teams can still make significant changes to their team

Where can I bet on La Liga games?

You can bet on all the La Liga games both pre-match and live on CediBet.com.