La Liga Fixtures 2016 Week 1: Schedule, Live-Stream Info, Picks and Key Players
Barcelona kick off their title defence on Saturday at home to Real Betis as La Liga returns for the 2016-17 season.
On Sunday, Real Madrid begin with a trip to Real Sociedad, while Atletico Madrid host newly promoted Alaves.
Read on for a closer look at some of the key players set to star in the opening weekend, but first here is the schedule complete with picks and live-streaming information:
TOP NEWS
Madrid Fines Players $590K 😲
'Mbappé Out' Petition Gaining Steam 😳
Star-Studded World Cup Ad 🤩
| Friday, August 19 | 7:45 p.m./2:45 p.m. | Malaga vs. Osasuna | 2-1 |
| Friday, August 19 | 9 p.m./4 p.m. | Deportivo La Coruna vs. Eibar | 1-0 |
| Saturday, August 20 | 5:15 p.m./12:15 p.m. | Barcelona vs. Real Betis | 3-0 |
| Saturday, August 20 | 7:15 p.m./2:15 p.m. | Granada vs. Villarreal | 1-2 |
| Saturday, August 20 | 9:15 p.m./4:15 p.m. | Sevilla vs. Espanyol | 2-0 |
| Sunday, August 21 | 5:15 p.m./12:15 p.m. | Sporting Gijon vs. Athletic Bilbao | 1-1 |
| Sunday, August 21 | 7:15 p.m./2:15 p.m. | Real Sociedad vs. Real Madrid | 0-4 |
| Sunday, August 21 | 9:15 p.m./4:15 p.m. | Atletico Madrid vs. Alaves | 2-0 |
| Monday, August 22 | 7 p.m./2 p.m. | Celta Vigo vs. Leganes | 0-0 |
| Monday, August 22 | 9 p.m./4 p.m. | Valencia vs. Las Palmas | 2-2 |
All matches can be streamed live via Sky Go (UK) or beIN Sports Connect (USA).
Kevin Gameiro, Atletico Madrid
While Antoine Griezmann will perhaps be Los Rojiblancos' most crucial player this season, new signing Kevin Gameiro will also be a key figure in their quest for success.
Atletico scored 63 goals in La Liga last year, and while that was bettered only by Barcelona and Real, the contribution of the French pairing this season will be invaluable.
With the addition of Gameiro—who netted 29 goals for Sevilla last season, including 16 in La Liga—Griezmann has another prolific forward to share the goalscoring responsibility with.
La Liga's Twitter account is eagerly anticipating their partnership:
Provided both remain fit for the majority of the campaign, the pair should rack up a healthy tally and make Atletico even more potent going forward.
Gameiro did as much during his time at Sevilla, per OptaJose:
At home to a newly promoted side, Atletico will look to kick their season off without any hitches.
For the 29-year-old, it represents an excellent chance to open his account and start life at the Vicente Calderon Stadium in the best possible way.
Marco Asensio, Real Madrid
After an outstanding pre-season, Marco Asensio could be in line to start Los Blancos' opener at Real Sociedad on Sunday.
According to Goal's Ben Hayward, the 20-year-old has had the opportunity to impress Real manager Zinedine Zidane in the absence of Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema. Per the Mirror's Ed Malyon, Asensio seems to have done just that:
The playmaker, who can operate in the No. 10 role or out wide, spent last season on loan at Espanyol. As demonstrated by Squawka Football, the youngster impressed while there:
After being handed a start in Real's UEFA Super Cup tie with Sevilla, Asensio opened the scoring with a stunning long-range effort.
His creativity and incisive passing are also a joy to behold, and he may well find himself comprising Real's front three alongside Gareth Bale and Alvaro Morata at the Anoeta Stadium.
Like Morata, Asensio's performance on Sunday will not only be important to deciding the result but also helping determine the number of minutes he'll enjoy on the pitch this season when Ronaldo and Benzema return to action.
