RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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Lamine Yamal and Jude Bellingham will renew acquaintances when Barcelona and Real Madrid meet at the Nou Camp at the end of October in the first Clasico of the season [Getty Images]
The start of the Premier League may still be a week off, but in Europe the new season is already getting under way.
With La Liga kicking off this weekend and Ligue 1, Serie A and the Bundesliga soon to follow, there are plenty of storylines to look forward to this season.
BBC Sport rounds up the best and looks ahead to what should be an enthralling campaign on the continent.
La Liga: The Special One returns
Jose Mourinho won the La Liga title, the Copa del Rey and the Spanish Super Cup during his previous time in charge of Real Madrid [Getty Images]
First La Liga match: Alaves v Getafe, Saturday 15 August, 18:30 (BST)
Jose Mourinho returning to Real Madrid 13 years after his first spell as manager ended was a reunion nobody saw coming.
Many expected Real to dominate La Liga and the Champions League when they signed Kylian Mbappe in 2024, and while he has impressed, the team as a whole has not gelled.
Last season Real looked like two teams on the same pitch - a group of four superstar attackers, and a fragile defensive unit left vulnerable to counter-attacks.
New signings Marc Cucurella, Ibrahima Konate, Denzel Dumfries and Bernardo Silva should help shore things up, while Yan Diomande could provide even more excitement in the final third.
Vinicius Junior has also recently agreed a new deal after being linked with Arsenal.
Some suggest a veteran Mourinho has had his day - can he manage the egos of Mbappe, Jude Bellingham and Vinicius after his previous time in charge at the Bernabeu ended following dressing room disquiet, and does the Special One still possess the tactical acumen to seriously challenge Barcelona?
Hansi Flick's side were not as formidable last season as in 2024-25, but a squad full of Spanish World Cup winners are still favourites to win a third consecutive league title.
Replacing the goals of Robert Lewandowski will not be easy, but reinforcements have arrived in the shape of Anthony Gordon and Karim Adeyemi.
As usual, Atletico Madrid will look to muscle their way into the top two, with Villarreal and Real Betis heading up the best of the rest.
After fighting their way up from the third tier, Malaga will look to avoid the drop with a budget but tightknit squad - they have been under judicial administration since 2020.
There will be tears in Valencia as Los Che play their final campaign at the iconic Mestalla stadium, but who knows if Uefa Conference League runners-up Rayo Vallecano will be able to play any home games at all.
The regional government of Madrid has stripped the club of its license to host matches at its rented Vallecas stadium due to the dilapidated state of the facilities.
La Liga to inspect Celta Vigo's pitch after fungus outbreak
New season, new boss - will Alexander-Arnold be key figure at Real Madrid?
Serie A: Managerial musical chairs in Italy
Last season, Christian Chivu's Inter Milan finished 17 points above AC Milan, who are now managed by Ruben Amorim [Getty Images]
First Serie A matches: Udinese v Como & Inter Milan v Monza, Saturday 22 August, 17:30 (BST)
Inter Milan are fancied to defend their Serie A crown, albeit partly because few teams look equipped to challenge them.
Napoli, AC Milan, Atalanta and Lazio all have new managers, while Juventus and Milan are both under pressure after missing out on the top four last term.
While the absence of Champions League football could aid their title bids, playing Thursday nights in the Europa League could hinder them.
How Ruben Amorim gets on at San Siro will be particularly interesting for Manchester United fans.
Napoli, whose two most recent title defences have fallen disappointingly flat, will hope Max Allegri can rediscover his knack for winning.
Como were the big story of last season, but can Cesc Fabregas' side replicate their league success while navigating a debut Champions League campaign?
They face a race against time to complete improvements at their idyllic lakeside stadium if they are to host European games.
Given the recent struggles of the Italian national team, Fabregas has pledged to try and bring through more young Italian players. Will others follow suit?
Roma did well to finish third last season after a rocky start, and have backed manager Gian Piero Gasperini in the transfer market. Can they kick on and win a first Scudetto since 2001?
Mourners line streets of Milan for legend Baresi's funeral
Defender Stones joins Inter Milan on free transfer
Bundesliga: Can anyone stop Bayern?
Harry Kane (36) and Michael Olise (15) contributed 51 Bundesliga goals for Bayern last season [Getty Images]
First Bundesliga match: Bayern Munich v VfB Stuttgart, Friday 28 August, 19:30 (BST)
The age-old question is as relevant as ever after Vincent Kompany's side cruised to a domestic double last season while playing some truly scintillating football.
Harry Kane is 33 now but is showing no signs of slowing down - the England captain has scored 98 goals in 94 Bundesliga games and has broken countless records.
While questions may be asked of 40-year-old goalkeeper Manuel Neuer and his unconvincing backline, Bayern's devastating firepower of Kane, Michael Olise and Luis Diaz, plus the addition of Morocco international Ismael Saibari, means they should easily outscore their opponents.
Borussia Dortmund, RB Leipzig and Bayer Leverkusen are all capable of launching title challenges, but tend to come unstuck against stubborn mid-table sides.
Elsewhere, fallen giants Schalke 04 are looking to re-establish themselves as a top flight side after three years away. Their promotion heralds the return of one of the fiercest derbies in world football - the Revier derby against Dortmund.
Elversberg were playing in the regionalised fourth tier as recently as 2021-22, b...
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