Barcelona Schedule 2016-17: La Liga Fixtures Released for New Season

Barcelona will begin their defence of the Primera Division title against Real Betis at the Camp Nou on August 20 or 21, with the league's 2016-17 schedule released on Friday.

The full fixture list was announced by the Royal Spanish Football Federation (via Spanish newspaper AS), and the Blaugrana will begin their search for a third Spanish league title in a row with a home clash against Betis.

La Liga confirmed the opening fixtures of the new season via Twitter:

For a look at the fixture list in full, visit the Royal Spanish Football Federation's website.

Barca Repeat in Sight

Luis Enrique's side are looking to win a third successive Liga crown, which was most recently achieved by Barca in 2011. Archrivals Real Madrid have finished as runners-up in each of the last two campaigns.

Fans face an anxious wait until the first Clasico of the 2016-17 season, though, with Barca not set to collide with Real until December:

However, Barca will encounter last season's third-place finishers, Atletico Madrid, as soon as Matchday 5. Spanish daily Marca confirmed the club's first five fixtures, with top-flight new boys Alaves also early on the schedule: 

Enrique has a proud record to defend, having won the league title in each of his two seasons as Barca boss, and he will be looking to maintain that in the 2016-17 season.

Barcelona were runaway favourites for the 2015-16 crown before a stumble of four matches without a win in early spring saw Real and Atletico Madrid gifted hope in their respective bids to claw the leaders back.

That being said, Barcelona rediscovered their momentum to finish strongly, and they ultimately held first place in the 2015-16 Liga table for 27 out of the 38 rounds played.

Another Barca figure under pressure to impress is Luis Suarez, who scored 40 goals in La Liga last term to become the first player other than team-mate Lionel Messi or Real's Cristiano Ronaldo to win the Pichichi Trophy as the league's top goalscorer since 2008-09.