Real Madrid began their assault on the Spanish top flight with a convincing 2-0 victory over Athletic Club on Saturday evening.
Jude Bellingham marked his debut with a goal after Rodrygo's opener to end the match as a contest before the interval. Carlo Ancelotti lamented: "In the second half we slowed down and had less control," but Real Madrid ultimately cruised to three easy points.
After finishing a yawning ten points behind Barcelona in La Liga last season, while also bowing out of the Champions League in the semi-finals, Ancelotti has little room for error this term.
Here are the upcoming matches in Madrid's start to a campaign that - for the sake of their coach - has to be an improvement on last season.
Almeria vs Real Madrid - La Liga
Almeria president Turki Al-Sheikh was not exactly a picture of confidence before Madrid's visit to the Power Horse Stadium last season. "I fear we’ll be beaten by a big score," he fretted. "I ask the players to draw. If we win, it will be thanks to God."
The upwardly mobile outfit managed to take the lead last August before the fates stopped smiling upon them as Madrid came back to win 2-1. Al-Sheikh may be calling upon divine intervention again next weekend.
- 19/08/2023 - Almeria vs Real Madrid (18:30)
Celta Vigo vs Real Madrid - La Liga
After staying up by the skin of their teeth on the final nerve-wracking day of last season, Celta Vigo pulled off the coup of hiring Rafael Benitez as manager in June.
The former Champions League winner with Liverpool was a youth team player for Real Madrid and had his first experience coaching in the club's academy. Benitez only lasted seven mediocre months in charge of the first team in the second half of 2015 and will be desperate to get one over his former employers.
- 25/08/2023 - Celta Vigo vs Real Madrid (20:30)
Real Madrid vs Getafe - La Liga
After three games on the road to begin the new campaign, Real Madrid are finally able to play in front of their home fans at the start of September - the away section won't have to travel very far either as fellow capital side Getafe are the opposition for Madrid's homecoming.
More than a decade after the first plans for a dramatic renovation of the Santiago Bernabeu were sketched out, the work has finally concluded. Madrid's new-look stadium won't be officially unveiled until December but the spaceship hosts Getafe in September.
- 02/09/2023 - Real Madrid vs Getafe (15:15)
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Real Madrid vs Real Sociedad - La Liga
Real Madrid's first meeting with another team competing in the Champions League isn't until Real Sociedad make the 280-mile trip south in mid-September.
Imanol Alguacil's side were dealt the dagger blow of losing David Silva to an ACL injury during the off-season which prompted his premature retirement. With Silva pulling the strings and still pressing feverishly, La Real ran out 2-0 winners in their last meeting with Real Madrid.
Without the man Shaun Wright-Phillips called Merlin, Real Sociedad will have a tougher time against Los Blancos and in the Champions League this season.
- 16-17/09/2023 - Real Madrid vs Real Sociedad
Real Madrid vs TBC - Champions League
After failing to win La Liga or the Champions League last term, Real Madrid find themselves in Pot 2 ahead of the group-stage draw.
The competition's record champions could come up against any of Manchester City, Napoli, Bayern Munich or Paris Saint-Germain in the first round, which begins on the week starting 18 September 2023.
- 19-20/09/2023 - Real Madrid vs TBC
Atletico Madrid vs Real Madrid - La Liga
Taking into consideration only matches after the 2022 World Cup, Atletico Madrid had the best record in La Liga, averaging 2.2 points per game. Real Madrid collected ten fewer points in this time frame and only narrowly managed to finish above Atletico in second place in the actual league table.
After a transfer window of consolidation for Atletico, Diego Simeone's side can make a statement in the first Madrid derby of the season at the end of September.
- 23-24/09/2023 - Atletico Madrid vs Real Madrid
This article was originally published on 90min as Real Madrid's next six fixtures after La Liga win against Athletic Club.