The Spanish league will open for business today, a wealth of talent on show to make the rest of the continent green with envy, with one or two notable exceptions.
Chelsea may have spent more than ?100 million (US$157 million) on turning themselves into Premiership title material and Manchester United may have the "new" Ronaldo.
But Real Madrid insist they have usurped United as the biggest club in the world -- and the crown they wear today is more bejewelled than any seen before at club level in the history of the game.
Prising David Beckham away from Old Trafford means the crown sits heavier than ever upon the club's corporate head and president Florentino Perez, along with Portuguese coach Carlos Queiroz -- another new arrival from United -- will feel obliged to deliver a tenth European Cup as well as retain the league title.
The upside of Beckham's arrival is plain to see.
Millions of hysterical fans watched their four-match summer tour of Asia, either in the flesh or on television, and white shirts have been selling worldwide by the thousand, not just those emblazoned with "23 Beckham" on the back.
Almost as many millions have flowed back into the club's stretched coffers in merchandising and television rights in a feeding frenzy which has followed Beckham and company around since his July signing.
England skipper Beckham, French maestro Zinedine Zidane, the original Ronaldo, (he of the World Cup-winning variety rather than United's young Portuguese hopeful), Luis Figo, Raul Gonzalez, Roberto Carlos, Iker Casillas -- the names trip off the tongue and belong in a world XI.
World XIs occasionally materialize in gala games where the result does not matter.
But Real's opening game today at home to rather less regal Real Betis, who have won just five times at the Bernabeu in 70 years, is a must win affair.
Beckham may have got his first Bernabeu appearance -- and his first home goal -- for Real out of the way in picking up the Super Cup on Wednesday at Mallorca's expense.
But wages of a reported six million euros a season for Beckham have not gone well with everyone, not least French midfielder Claude Makalele, a vital cog in the engine room but who says he will leave unless he receives a big pay rise, complaining he earns some five times less.
Cue a request by Makelele to be freed from a contract which has three years to run and a clutch of negative publicity for the Real "brand."
Another French star, Zidane, admits this year will be more difficult than ever.
"This year's going to be tough. We're going to be asked to win everything."
Betis have already upped the ante.
"It's a blessed problem to have -- but Real just have too much talent, the team is unbalanced by an excess of it," charges Betis coach Victor Fernandez.
As Real seek domination of Spain, Europe and the world, bitter rivals Barcelona will be out to emerge from a recent slump.
Barca, sixth last time out, have invested in a new coach, Frank Rijkaard, hoping he can galvanize the club as another former Dutchman, Johan Cruyff, did in the early 1990s and as compatriot Louis Van Gaal failed to do in more recent times.
Also on board is Brazilian World Cup winner Ronaldinho, who preferred Barca to Manchester United. The Catalan club see him as the ace in their pack as they chase their first title since 1999.
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