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

Real Madrid’s pursuit of a first La Liga title since 2012 will get under way against Real Sociedad at the Anoeta, as the fixtures for the 2016-17 season were announced on Friday on the division's Twitter feed. 

After their Week 1 clash with La Real, Zinedine Zidane’s side face a home tussle against Celta Vigo before another clash at the Santiago Bernabeu against newly promoted Osasuna.

Real’s clashes with Barcelona will come on December 4 at the Camp Nou and April 23 at the Santiago Bernabeu. Their first meeting with city rivals Atletico Madrid will be on November 20 at the Vicente Calderon, while the return fixture takes place at the Bernabeu on April 9.

Bleacher Report UK issued a reminder of the season's two key fixtures on Instagram:

Click here for the full schedule of fixtures for the 2016-17 season, per the Seleccion Espanola website.

Real Searching for Spanish Glory

Although last season ended in memorable fashion for Los Blancos, with a win over Atletico Madrid in the final of the UEFA Champions League, their form in La Liga in recent years has left much to be desired by their own impeccable standards.

Indeed, their triumph in 2011-12 will be their only success in nine years should they fail to finish top of the pile in the upcoming edition. But there are reasons to be optimistic about the team’s chances in the campaign.

Jean Catuffe/Getty Images

Their star men have enjoyed prosperous summers, for starters. After netting the winning penalty in the Champions League shootout, Cristiano Ronaldo, accompanied by his Los Blancos team-mate Pepe, went on to win the UEFA European Championship with Portugal. Gareth Bale also excelled at the tournament with Wales, pushing his nation into a semi-final spot.

As we can see here, three Real players made it into the competition’s Team of the Tournament, not including Bale:

In Zinedine Zidane, the team seems to have a manager who's an ideal fit, too. Not only did the Frenchman add a pragmatic streak that saw Real perform effectively in Europe, they also finished strongly in La Liga—Los Blancos won their last 12 games in a row.

The club’s former midfielder seems to command the respect of the players, too. That has allowed him to focus a little more on the defensive side of this team, a facet that is often ignored by Madrid managers who feel obliged to play cavalier football. That's not proved conducive to success in the league format.

Jean Catuffe/Getty Images

Real have also made a key acquisition in Alvaro Morata, bringing the forward back from Juventus after a two-year spell. With Marca's Ruben Jimenez (translated by Jeffrey Boxer) having reported he’s set to stay and battle with Karim Benzema for a starting spot, here’s a look at what Madridistas can expect:

Given Real, Barca and Atletico set such high standards throughout the season, the meetings between the trio are always vital in determining the title’s destination. Los Blancos may feel they can catch the Blaugrana off guard this year, though.

Lionel Messi has endured a summer to forget after all, having suffered more major final heartbreak with Argentina at the Copa America and been hit with a conviction for tax fraud. In addition, Neymar will represent Brazil in the Olympics next month, potentially disrupting his beginning to the campaign.

The players have been there for Real to mount a title challenge since 2012, although slipping slightly below those levels has opened the door for their rivals. Now they seem to have the right manager to complement the talent on the pitch, giving them their best chance of La Liga success for a long time.