sport

BARCA BID TO END MADRID SUCCESS

Barcelona will be hoping to restore pride.

The usual suspects again look set to dominate the Primera Liga season as new-look Barcelona attempt to deny arch rivals Real Madrid a hat-trick of title wins.

Madrid, whose back-to-back championship successes is their best run since winning five on the trot in the late 1980s, have so far been relatively quiet on the transfer front this summer but then their major surgery has taken place over the two years.

Barca in contrast have been busy rebuilding following two seasons without a major trophy and the departure of long-serving coach Frank Rijkaard, and they will be desperate to return to the top of the pile in Spain.

Of the other would-be title hopefuls, Villarreal have made some astute additions to their squad but may find it difficult to repeat their heroics of last season when they finished runners-up, while fallen giants Valencia still have someway to go judging by their Supercopa capitulation against Madrid earlier this week.

Atletico Madrid, fourth last season, could finally begin to fulfil their undoubted potential after making some good close season purchases, but much will again rest on the shoulders of star striker Sergio Aguero.

However, the early indications are that it could be Sevilla, following a largely disappointing 2007/08 campaign, who will again be the biggest challengers to the big two.

The Andalusian club ended last season with huge question marks against novice coach Manolo Jimenez despite finishing in fifth spot, and the departures of key players Dani Alves, Seydou Keita and Christian Poulsen may have had some supporters fearing the worst.

But eight wins and two draws from 10 pre-season matches suggests Sevilla might be a force to be reckoned with again, and goalkeeper Andres Palop for one thinks things are looking promising down at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan.

"There is an impressive squad and I think it's the best team of the last four years," said the veteran custodian.

"Now we are about to start a new season and I hope that we can say in the future the Sevilla of this year is the best of all time."

Those pretenders will do well to finish above either of Madrid or Barca, though.

Madrid were linked to one big-name player after another this summer, but apart from the signing of Rafael van der Vaart and the return of loanees Ruben de la Red and Javi Garcia, new additions have been few and far between.

However, if Sunday's stunning Supercopa second leg performance against Valencia is anything go to by, when Madrid won 4-2 despite having two players sent-off, then the reigning champions' lack of transfer activity appears totally justified.

Unlike Madrid, Barca have had a busy few months and look to have strengthened their squad well this summer with the additions of Alves, Keita, Gerard Pique, Martin Caceres and Alexander Hleb.

However, the same was said 12 months ago - when Thierry Henry, Yaya Toure, Gabriel Milito and Eric Abidal were added to a Barca squad side that had only lost the 2006/07 title to Madrid due to an inferior head-to-head record - and last season the Catalan giants were well off the pace.

The big difference this time around may not be on the pitch though, where Barca have allowed the likes of Ronaldinho and Deco to leave, but on the bench where club legend Pep Guardiola has replaced Rijkaard.

The 37-year-old Guardiola has no experience of coaching at this level and he will be living life in a goldfish bowl, but an impressive pre-season bodes well for the new campaign.

Barca sporting director Txiki Begiristain recently explained the thinking behind appointing the former club captain as their new coach, saying: "The image of the club had deteriorated. We had to restore involvement in, and commitment to, the club, and that's why I thought of Josep Guardiola.

"He has a perfect understanding of the club, a methodology and a respect for attractive football, which makes him the best choice to manage the team. I don't think anyone can doubt the decision to appoint Guardiola as manager of Barca."

Elsewhere, last season's surprise packages Getafe and Racing Santander may find life more difficult after seeing their respective coaches Michael Laudrup and Marcelino Garcia Toral move on, while Real Mallorca, who finished seventh last term, could also find it tricky following the departures of a host of key players.

The three top flight newcomers are Numancia, Malaga and Sporting Gijon, who will each be hoping to replicate the successes of Recreativo Huelva and Almeria, who both finished an impressive eighth in the last two seasons after winning promotion.