5 key talking points as LALIGA returns with a major difference

LALIGA EA SPORTS, Spanish football’s top tier, is once again back and raring to go featuring the biggest clubs on the planet and new world-class talents but with a big difference.

This summer, LALIGA begins a new era with a whole-scale transformation encompassing brand evolution, strategy, positioning technology, audiovisual, and digital innovation befitting what is now the world’s largest football ecosystem.

After a summer in which LALIGA unveiled a comprehensive transformation and entered a new era in its history, it’s time for football to retake centre stage.

LALIGA Storylines

As always, the start of LALIGA EA SPORTS throws up a host of unmissable storylines.

The 2023/24 LALIGA EA SPORTS season will once again feature the greatest talents in world football and a host of talented new additions that provide the perfect showcase for what is Europe’s most competitive major league, not only in stadiums but also on screens across the planet.

FC Barcelona became the third different club to win the Spanish league title in three seasons last time out and they now head into the new campaign looking to become the

first side to retain their crown in half a decade. But with perennial challengers Real Madrid having made important additions to their squad this off-season and 2021 champions Atlético de Madrid strengthening their team across the board, the reigning champions will have their work cut out.

Outside the big boys, can Real Sociedad, who last season broke into the top four for the first time in a decade, Real Betis, Villarreal CF, and Sevilla FC, fresh from winning a record seventh Europa League title, finally take that next step and muscle their way into title contention?

Now, the major talking points and what to expect going into the new LALIGA season.

LALIGA Talking Points

• The world-class stars to follow this season

LALIGA has opened its doors to a host of new signings and world-class talent this summer to join established stars such as Robert Lewandowski, Vini Jr, who is perhaps the most exhilarating player in world football right now, and Antoine Griezmann.

Real Madrid made the biggest transfer move in the world this off-season to bring in England international Jude Bellingham and add to a stacked midfield including Ballon d’Or

winner Luka Modric while FC Barcelona brought in a host of big names to strengthen their chances of retaining the title. Champions League-winning captain Cesar Azpilicueta returned to LALIGA with Diego Simeone’s Atlético de Madrid, Ivory Coast international and Ligue 1 champion Jonathan Bamba joined Rafa Benitez’s new-look RC Celta side, and proven top-flight goalscorer Alexander Sorloth swapped Real Sociedad for Villarreal CF.

LALIGA continues to boast the brightest young rising stars in world football too, with the likes of Gavi and Pedri already indispensable to FC Barcelona’s starting XI; 21-year-old Spain international Nico Williams established as a LALIGA star at Athletic Club; and Real Madrid’s new 18-year-old Turkish sensation Arda Güler set to wow fans around the world not only this season but for years to come.

• LALIGA EA SPORTS welcomes three new clubs

Granada CF, as champions of LALIGA HYPERMOTION, UD Las Palmas, and Deportivo Alavés return to the LALIGA EA SPORTS this season.

Both the former and the latter are back in the elite after a single season down in the second tier, while UD Las Palmas will be familiar to fans of Spanish football fans having enjoyed a three-year stint in LALIGA EA SPORTS between 2015 and 2018.

The season on Friday 11 th August with UD Almería vs Rayo Vallecano, a match which kicks off a flurry of headline fixtures.

The iconic Madrid Derby between Real Madrid and Atlético de Madrid will be the first of LALIGA’s classic derbies on the weekend of September 24th, followed by the unique Basque Derby between Real Sociedad and

Athletic Club in October, and the fiery Seville Derby between Sevilla FC and Real Betis in November. ElClásico, the highly awaited clash between FC Barcelona and Real Madrid and most high-profile club match on the planet, returns for the latest instalment in its storied history on the weekend of October 29th.

• LALIGA is back, but not as you know it

Off the field, the summer months heralded the arrival of a new era in LALIGA history.

A revolutionary strategic partnership with new title sponsor EA Sports brings with it a new and disruptive way of conceiving FÚTBOL, breaking down the barriers between the physical and digital worlds, creating a unique product in the sports world which seeks to reach a much wider audience than conventional sports leagues have done in past years.

LALIGA is no longer just 42 clubs across LALIGA EA SPORTS and LALIGA HYPERMOTION, Spain’s rebranded top two divisions; it also encompasses other tournaments such as LALIGA GENUINE, the first league in the world for players with intellectual disabilities, and LALIGA FC FUTURES, the world’s most prestigious youth football tournament.

It now also branches out beyond the limits of the pitch, with experiences such as LALIGA TwentyNine’s, LEGENDS: The Home of Football, OMG! and LALIGA BUSINESS SCHOOL touching on areas as diverse as gastronomy, memorabilia, music, and education, among others, allowing the organization to interact with people far beyond the sport.

LALIGA also continues in its commitment to eradicating blights such as racism, violence, and intolerance in football through the FUNDACIÓN LALIGA and at an institutional level, allowing it to grow its platform to impact at a wider level throughout society.

• An unprecedented fan experience

LALIGA continues to lead the way in digital and broadcast innovation to provide football fans around the world with the best possible experience. Spain’s professional football

the league remains the most followed of Europe’s five major leagues on social media, recently breaking the 200 million follower mark with fans enjoying ever broader and original content in 20 different languages across 16 different platforms.

The overarching brand transformation brings with it a new-look LALIGA mobile app – featuring a more personalized user experience, new content formats adapted to new consumer trends – and a revamped LALIGA FANTASY game, with 100% objective scoring and an all-new look and feel.

LALIGA also continues to innovate and revolutionise its broadcasts, and viewers both in Spain and around the world will enjoy a more immersive and dynamic viewing experience this season.

A complete overhaul of the graphics package in line with LALIGA’s brand transformation will give matches a new look similar to the EA SPORTS FC video game, with greater use of augmented reality, new bench, aerial and cinematic

camera angles, and new and improved graphics packages to boost visibility not only on TV but also on mobile and tablet screens.

• History of Spanish football

The 2023/24 season also comes at a crucial time for LALIGA EA SPORTS and LALIGA HYPERMOTION clubs. BOOST LALIGA (also known as LALIGA IMPULSO), a unique large-scale €2 billion investment project aimed at strengthening the club’s long-term modernisation processes made possible by LALIGA’s agreement with global investment fund CVC, is in full swing and clubs across LALIGA are already working across the board on ambitious development plans in areas such as strategy and business, infrastructures, internationalization, product development and digitalisation among others.

Commercially, LALIGA continues to go from strength to strength with commercial net revenues projected to grow by over 10% this season and with guaranteed audiovisual rights revenues of over €2 billion until the 2026/27 season.

EA SPORTS joins LALIGA as title sponsor for the first time this season in a historic milestone for both organizations, while PUMA, Microsoft, Mahou and BKT continue as global sponsors.

With all the passion, drama, thrills and spills and competitiveness from top to bottom of LALIGA EA SPORTS guaranteed across the full 380-match schedule with an unprecedented broadcast experience, you won’t want to miss a single moment of the 2023/24 campaign, which will be available on SuperSport throughout the season.

Related content