REAL MADRID WILL BEGIN THEIR SEASON AGAINST ALMERIA

Almeria will face a baptism of fire when they return to La Liga on Sunday, when reigning champions Real Madrid visit the Estadio de los Juegos Mediterraneos. The hosts won the Segunda Division last season to return to the top flight, while Carlo Ancelotti's side conquered both Spain and Europe.

Fourth place in 2019–20 did not cut it, and the same position in 2020–21 was only good enough to be knocked out by Girona in the promotion playoffs, but Almeria's place in the top tier for the upcoming season could not be denied this time. Under Rubi's guidance, Almeria finished first in the 2021–22 Segunda Division with 81 points, but they only beat Real Valladolid on goal difference and were only one point ahead of Eibar in a tight promotion race. La Union spent seven consecutive seasons in the Segunda Division's doldrums and even flirted with relegation on a couple of occasions, but this weekend's hosts are now preparing for relegation. By bringing in the likes of Kaiky, Fernando Pacheco, Houboulang Mendes, and Alejandro Pozo, a healthy mix of youth and experience is at Rubi's disposal for the upcoming campaign, and they won three of their five pre-season friendlies ahead of the visit of the champions.

Real Madrid's quest for a historic sextuple has already begun, with the club adding another European trophy to its collection with a 2-0 victory over Eintracht Frankfurt in Wednesday's UEFA Super Cup clash at the Olympic Stadium in Helsinki. Carlo Ancelotti's side now prepares to compete for success in La Liga, the Copa del Rey, the Champions League, the Supercopa de Espana, and potentially the latest edition of the Club World Cup, if and when that tournament is approved. Goals from David Alaba and, of course, Karim Benzema got the job done against the Europa League holders. Real Madrid would be foolish not to expect Barcelona to come out firing in what should be a spectacular showdown for the title.

Real Madrid will be led once again by Karim Benzema, who led the league in scoring last season with 27 goals. Madrid's backline is also seasoned, led by goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois.

Almeria had a fantastic home record last season, winning 14 of 21 games. It finished first in the second division last season, so this will be a good indicator of where the club is heading.

Umar Sadiq, 24, of Nigeria, was the standout for the home team. He finished with 18 goals and 9 assists. He's still on the roster and should be ready for Real Madrid's top flight.

Nonetheless, Los Blancos, who won La Liga for the 35th time in the 2021-22 season, will be as confident as ever heading into the new domestic season, even if their lengthy pursuit of Kylian Mbappe did not pay off. The visitors only won one of their final four La Liga games last season, despite having to contend with the Champions League final in May, and they have won each of their last five meetings with Almeria, scoring at least three goals on each occasion.

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The Joan Gamper Trophy, also known as the Joan Gamper Cup, was established in 1966, with the Blaugrana inviting Anderlecht from Belgium, Nantes from France, and Koln from Germany to the inaugural event. It had four participants until 1997 Barcelona and three other invitees and consisted of two semi-final ties, a third-place playoff, and a final. The Blaugrana won their first championship, defeating Cologne 3-1 in the final. Due to an increased fixture list, the Joan Gamper Trophy underwent changes in 1997, abandoning the previous format in favour of a one-off match style. Furthermore, there is no extra time in the competition, with a penalty shoot-out deciding the winner if the game is tied after 90 minutes. This tournament has drawn teams from all over the world, including fellow Spanish powerhouses Atletico Madrid and Valencia, as well as South American behemoths Boca Juniors, River Plate, and Santos. In 2017, Barcelona invited Chapecoense to the 52nd Joan Gamper Trophy...

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