La Liga 2025-26: New Faces To Watch In Spain's Top Flight This Season

The 95th edition of La Liga, the top-flight football league in Spain, kicks off on Friday (August 15, 2025) with Girona hosting Rayo Vallecano in the season opener, followed by Villarreal welcoming Real Oviedo. FC Barcelona are the defending champions, while their El Clasico rivals Real Madrid remain the successful team.

With new faces looking forward to making the most of the opportunity, the La Liga 2025-26 season is expected to captivate fans from all over the world. From talented coaches such as Xabi Alonso to highly-rated players such as Marcus Rashford, here’s a look at some of the new arrivals you should follow this season.

Xabi Alonso (Real Madrid, Coach)

The departure of Carlo Ancelotti was followed by the arrival of another Los Blancos legend, Xabi Alonso. In his five seasons as a Real Madrid player, the midfielder won a league title (2011-12), UEFA Champions League (2013-14), two Copa del Rey trophies (2010-11, 2013-14) and a Spanish Super Cup (2012-13).

Alonso kicked off his coaching career at the Real Madrid academy before moving to Real Sociedad B, with whom he earned promotion to Segunda Division in his second season. What followed was a move to the German Bundesliga, where he took charge of Bayer Leverkusen in October 2022.

The 43-year-old tactician inspired the team to new heights, with the German side winning an unprecedented unbeaten domestic double and finishing runners-up in the UEFA Europa League in 2024. Considered one of the most sought-after coaches in the last few seasons, Xabi Alonso is expected to inspire the team, thanks to his aura and tactical intelligence.

David Hancko (Atletico de Madrid, Defender)

Atletico de Madrid’s attempt to rejuvenate their squad has seen them bring in several talented players, including 27-year-old defender David Hancko.

His performances at the Slovakian club Zilina earned Hancko a transfer to the Serie A and Fiorentina. A short spell at Sparta Prague was followed by a move to Feyenoord, where he became an undisputed starter. Having won the Eredivisie (2022-23), KNVB Cup (2023-24) and Johan Cruyff Shield (2024) with the Dutch team, he opted for a move to Spain, now with Diego Simeone at Metropolitano.

Following his debut for Slovakia in 2018, Hancko also became a mainstay in his national team’s defence, having made more than 50 appearances for the Sokoli. A versatile defender who can feature both as centre-back and left-back, Hancko is expected to add more energy and freshness to Atletico de Madrid’s famed backline.

Trent Alexander-Arnold (Real Madrid, Defender)

Earlier in the summer, Real Madrid lured one of the finest right-backs in Europe to La Liga. Alexander-Arnold joined Los Blancos from boyhood club Liverpool, where he took his first footballing steps, climbed up the ranks and became a club legend.

Back in February 2024, the England international registered his 58th Premier League assist, setting a new record for defenders in the competition. He won everything with Liverpool, celebrating two league titles (2019-20, 2024-25) and a UEFA Champions League trophy (2018-19) among other silverware.

Alexander-Arnold, 26, has already made his debut for Real Madrid in the FIFA Club World Cup. Los Blancos fans now look forward to seeing him thrive in the domestic league.

Marcus Rashford (FC Barcelona, Forward)

One of the most exciting signings this summer, Marcus Rashford, has joined the Catalan side on a one-season loan deal from Manchester United. A Red Devils academy product, the England international made his official debut at the age of 18.

He quickly became an undisputed starter and stood out at United, but fell out of favour with Ruben Amorim before being loaned out to Aston Villa, where the 27-year-old rediscovered his form in the second half of last season.

Having joined a highly-rated Barca attack featuring Lamine Yamal, Robert Lewandowski and Raphinha, Rashford will look to show that he has what it takes to revive his career at FC Barcelona.

Eder Sarabia (Elche CF, Coach)

Back in 2015, Sarabia joined Quique Setien's coaching staff at UD Las Palmas. Fast-forward a decade, and the 44-year-old tactician returns to La Liga as the boss of Elche CF.

Following stints at Real Betis and FC Barcelona as Setien's assistant, Sarabia undertook his first head coaching job in 2021, leading FC Andorra to Segunda Division promotion for the first time in the club’s history.

A move to Elche CF last summer was followed by promotion to the top tier, with Los Franjiverdes finishing second in the table, boasting the best defence in the second tier with just 34 goals conceded in 42 games. Elche CF are back, and Sarabia will look to establish his team in the top flight.