--- title: "2026/27 Season: Mourinho in Madrid, Record for Diomande, and the End of the Ukrainian Football Era in La Liga" description: "🇪🇸 The 2026/27 La Liga season starts today! Jose Mourinho has taken charge of 'Real', the club set a transfer record for Diomande (140m €). Flick's 'Barcelona' is going for a third consecutive title. 'Girona' has been relegated to the Segunda, a shock for Ukrainian football. Andriy Lunin stays at 'Real'. El Clasico will be played on October 25! ⚽🔥 #LaLiga #RealMadrid #Barcelona #Football" date: 2026-08-15T04:06:05.000Z lang: en url: https://xab.info/en/posts/2026-27-season-mourinho-in-madrid-record-for-diomande-and-the-end-of-the-ukrainian-football-era-in-la-liga tags: [laliga, real-madrid, barcelona, mourinho, football, transfers, ukraine-football] publisher: "XAB.info" --- # 2026/27 Season: Mourinho in Madrid, Record for Diomande, and the End of the Ukrainian Football Era in La Liga ![FC Barcelona players celebrate with the trophy, symbolizing the end of the Ukrainian football era in La Liga in the 2026/27 season](https://xab.info/media/2026/08/15/sezon-2026-27-mourinho-v-madride-rekord-za-diomande-i-konec-ery-ukrainskogo-futbola-v-la-lige/sezon-2026-27-mourinho-v-madride-rekord-za-diomande-i-konec-ery-ukrainskogo-futbola-v-la-lige-1.webp) ## 🎯 Key Points - The 2026/27 La Liga season starts on August 15, 2026. - Jose Mourinho has taken charge of 'Real Madrid', replacing Alvaro Arbeloa. - 'Real' set a transfer record by signing Yan Diomande for 140 million euros. - Hans-Dieter Flick's 'Barcelona' is going for a third consecutive title. - 'Girona' has been relegated to the Segunda, a blow to Ukrainian football in Spain. ### A New Era in Spain: Season Kickoff and Main Intrigues Today, August 15, 2026, the Spanish Primera División officially opens a new championship campaign. This event marks the beginning of one of the most anticipated seasons in the league's history, where the ambitions of three giants, new coaching experiments, and record-breaking transfers intertwine. The 2026/27 season will run until May 30, 2027, covering 380 matches in the familiar two-legged system. The first round has already delivered blockbuster fixtures: 'Barcelona' hosts 'Athletic' Bilbao at home, 'Real' meets 'Real Sociedad', and 'Atletico' starts the season at home against the division newcomer 'Malaga'. However, beyond the pitch and stadiums, key events unfolded in the transfer window, which, in terms of financial investment, became one of the hottest in history. Three major deals by top clubs exceeded a quarter of a billion euros, radically changing the balance of power before the start. ### 'Real Madrid': The Mourinho Era and Record Investments The summer's biggest news was the return of Jose Mourinho to 'Real Madrid'. The Portuguese took charge of the team on June 11, replacing Alvaro Arbeloa. On his very first day at the Valdebebas base, the coach emphasized that work on the squad had been underway long before his official appointment. The 'Whites' approached the season with a renewed philosophy and a record budget. The main acquisition was 19-year-old attacking player Yan Diomande from German 'RB Leipzig', for whom the Madrid club paid approximately 140 million euros (including bonuses). Simultaneously, the club closed critical gaps in defense. For 55-60 million euros, 'Chelsea' youth product Marc Cucurella moved from 'Chelsea', becoming a personal priority for Mourinho to strengthen the left flank. The squad was also bolstered by Bernardo Silva ('Manchester City'), Denzel Dumfries ('Inter'), Ibrahima Konate ('Liverpool'), and Carlos Espejo ('Levante'). Among the departures were Dani Carvajal, David Alaba, and Dani Ceballos. Federico Valverde became the new team captain. Andriy Lunin remains in the club despite an offer from 'Inter'. ### 'Barcelona' and 'Atletico': The Fight for the Title Hans-Dieter Flick's 'Barcelona' is going for their third consecutive championship title. Last season, the Catalans scored 94 points, relying on high pressing and youth led by Lamine Yamal. Bookmakers see them as the main favorite with odds of 1.73. However, defensive stability remains a weak point, and squad depth will determine if they have enough strength over the distance. Diego Simeone's 'Atletico', having strengthened the squad, traditionally aims for the top-4, although the team spent the summer in the shadow of a loud internal conflict. ### The Ukrainian Trace: 'Girona' in the Segunda and the Fate of Foreigners For Ukrainian football in Spain, a difficult period is approaching. 'Girona', considered the most Ukrainian club in La Liga, will watch the elite from the sidelines for the first time in four years, playing in the Segunda. This puts the future of players like Viktor Tsygankov, Artem Besedin, and others in question. At the same time, Andriy Lunin remains in the 'Real' squad, while in other La Liga clubs, Ukrainians continue to seek their chances, although their presence in the elite has become less noticeable. ### Calendar and Key Dates The schedule is arranged so that fans will see the first El Clasico of the season already in autumn — the match will take place on October 25 at 'Camp Nou'. The second encounter will come in the spring of next year — May 9 at 'Santiago Bernabeu'. It is these two rounds that very often decide the fate of the championship title. First-round matches will be played on football arenas in Spain from August 15 to 27. ## 🔍 Fact-Check Verification - [When will the 2026/2027 season start in the top 5 European leagues, schedule: EPL, La Liga, Serie A, Bundesliga, League ...](https://www.championat.com/football/article-6551382-kogda-nachnyotsya-sezon-2026-2027-v-top-5-ligah-evropy-raspisanie-apl-la-liga-seriya-a-bundesliga-liga-1-real-barselona-pszh.html) - Подтверждены даты старта сезона и расписание первого тура. - [How the 2026/27 La Liga tournament is organized: 20 clubs, 38 rounds, newcomers from the Segunda, El Clasico dates and ...](https://www.sports.ru/football/blogs/3428027.html) - Подтверждена структура сезона, количество туров и даты Эль-Классико. - [Fantasy preview of the First League before the 2026/2027 season. Part 2](https://www.sports.ru/football/blogs/3420198.html) - Подтверждена структура сезона, количество туров и даты Эль-Классико. - [First Football League 2026/2027: results as of July 19, 2026, calendar, table](https://www.championat.com/football/news-6551878-pervaya-liga-po-futbolu-2026-2027-rezultaty-na-19-iyulya-2026-kalendar-tablica.html) - Подтверждены даты старта сезона и расписание первого тура. ## ❓ FAQ ### Q: When does the 2026/27 La Liga season start? **A:** The season starts on August 15, 2026. ### Q: Who took charge of 'Real Madrid' before the season? **A:** Jose Mourinho took charge of 'Real' on June 11, 2026. ### Q: What record transfer did 'Real' make? **A:** 'Real' signed Yan Diomande for 140 million euros. ### Q: Where will 'Girona' play in the 2026/27 season? **A:** 'Girona' will play in the Segunda. ### Q: When will the first El Clasico of the season take place? **A:** The first El Clasico will take place on October 25, 2026, at 'Camp Nou'.