Rafael Benitez has taken over from Carlo Ancelotti and the new man will be expected to deliver domestic success following a dismal drought for Los Blancos
The capital club have claimed 32 titles to Barca's 23, yet Los Blancos have won only one since 2007-08 and are now under pressure to deliver this time around as the Catalans seek a sixth crown in eight years.
When Florentino Perez returned to the presidency at Real in 2009, he promised European and domestic dominance. But neither have materialised. In that time, Madrid have added one Liga title to their trophy collection and one Champions League crown.
Over the same period, Barca have added four league titles and two Champions Leagues to go with the treble they won months before Perez began his second spell at Santiago Bernabeu.
Coaches have come and gone in that time. Manuel Pellegrini lasted a sole season at Real after missing out on the title in 2009-10 and ending the season without a trophy. Jose Mourinho then claimed a Copa del Rey, a Liga title (with a record 100 points, later equalled by Tito Vilanova's Barca) and a Spanish Supercopa, but that was still an unremarkable return when compared to Barca's success.
The following year, Carlo Ancelotti added another Copa and La Decima (a 10th European Cup), but he too was dismissed after failing to land the biggest prizes at the end of his second season.
Ancelotti has never had a reputation for his prowess in long league campaigns, winning only one at AC Milan, one at Chelsea and another at Paris Saint-Germain in a coaching career spanning almost two decades. He did build a strong side at the Bernabeu, however, and 2014 was the most successful year in the club's history as four trophies were won overall.
It was not enough, though, and now Madrid start again with Benitez - who is hardly Mr. League Titles himself. Since winning the Primera Division twice with a Valencia side punching above their weight in 2002 and 2004, the Spanish coach has earned a reputation as something of a cup coach, failing to add a championship in six seasons at Liverpool, one at Inter, half a year with Chelsea and two at Napoli.
"There is no-one better than you when it comes to knowing what this badge, this shirt and this stadium symbolise," Perez told Benitez when he was unveiled in June. "We want even more because at this club we reject complacency. We are starting a new era with you. Welcome home."
It was not enough, though, and now Madrid start again with Benitez - who is hardly Mr. League Titles himself. Since winning the Primera Division twice with a Valencia side punching above their weight in 2002 and 2004, the Spanish coach has earned a reputation as something of a cup coach, failing to add a championship in six seasons at Liverpool, one at Inter, half a year with Chelsea and two at Napoli.
"There is no-one better than you when it comes to knowing what this badge, this shirt and this stadium symbolise," Perez told Benitez when he was unveiled in June. "We want even more because at this club we reject complacency. We are starting a new era with you. Welcome home."
But Perez had spent years pursuing Ancelotti and finally signed the Italian at the third time of asking. For Florentino, only trophies guarantee a coach's continuity and Benitez will need to deliver quickly if he is to last longer than his predecessor or even make it to a second season on the Bernabeu bench.
Benitez himself said on Saturday: "I would like people to talk about a Madrid that wins, entertains, enjoys itself and has the necessary balance: scoring goals and giving the rival less goal-scoring chances - and that translates to conceding less and winning more points, games and titles."
It sounded good. But Madrid failed to score in four of their eight pre-season games and a repeat of that will not be sufficient in La Liga.
Barca, meanwhile, start the season with something of a point to prove despite winning the treble in 2014-15. Luis Enrique's side claimed the Uefa Super Cup earlier this month as they beat Sevilla 5-4 after extra-time in Georgia, but they then lost 4-0 to Athletic in Bilbao and were unable to overturn that deficit at Camp Nou as they missed out on the Supercopa de Espana.
"Last year I said the favourites were Atletico because they had won La Liga," Luis Enrique said this weekend. "This year the favourites are us. Let's see how the league goes. There are four teams with a chance of winning the championship."
Atletico are another, after making some significant changes this summer. Head coach Diego Simeone has brought in two fine forwards in Jackson Martinez and Luciano Vietto, while the return of Filipe Luis in defence will add stability at the back.
Simeone's side looks stronger on paper than last season's version, although the Rojiblancos made hard work of beating promoted team Las Palmas in their Liga opener on Saturday. The Argentine boss - as usual - is focused on the here and now.
"Our thoughts are about throwing ourselves into what we believe in," he said ahead of a scrappy 1-0 win at the Vicente Calderon. "We believe in the day to day, in what could happen tomorrow. I have never liked looking too far forward."
However, his side will need to improve if they are to compete for La Liga as they did in 2013-14, when they pipped Barca to the title on the final day of the season.
And in their slipstream, Valencia will also be looking to challenge this time around, although the departure of defender Nicolas Otamendi is surely a big blow to their chances. Nuno's side do not appear quite ready for a title tilt at this stage and a disappointing 0-0 draw at Rayo Vallecano on Saturday did little to change that perception.
So, unless Atletico can find their feet fast, logic points to a two-horse race between Barca and Real once again and, following their failures in all but one of the last seven seasons in La Liga, the pressure is very much on Madrid this time around.
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