Hello, this is international football commentator Derek Ray, and you're listening to the distance? Can you feel it in the air? Can you sense the breeze of the season

blowing across the old town square? Iberia, our destination, La Liga, our immediate aim. As Europe's

top flights come back to life,

we'd like to start in Spain.

So first onto the summit where Barcelona sit astead, after last year's trophy found itself

bedecked in blue and red, yet over in Madrid they currently gaze with envious eyes.

At a trophy, they seek to reclaim Spanish football's foremost prize.

While Bellingham's arrived in the capital and in Catalonia, Ilkai's in town,

to augment to already great midfields as they battle for the crown.

Two age-old rivals locked in an eternal war,

which of them will shine brighter as they battle to the four.

But maybe there's a surprising store, a challenger from the side, an unheralded

upstart set to give the big boys a ride, do Atletti have their mojo back, or Sevilla back

for good, De Reo Sosidad have a bigger engine hidden beneath that hood. What's Setien cooking

at Via Real, BPD and Sawlot in attack, and could Betis's returning heroes be the key to fighting

back, whilst as soon as

mighty season had them on the edge of glory, whilst Athletics' local boys tried to write their

own new story? At the other end, it's good to see Granada back on the scene, whilst Alaves's

playoff chaos has them again daring to dream, canary representation seen once again in Las Palmas's

yellow, three promoted sides hoping that goodbye doesn't follow hello.

And what of the chaos that abound still from Mastaya?

Valencia are hoping burning flames can lift them higher and can sell to hang on to the brightest spark of all.

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