Ahead of the 2019/20 La Liga season — which kicks off tonight — Dermot Corrigan looks at the key storylines to follow in the months ahead

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s return to his hometown club was marred by the confirmation that Manchester United defender Eric Bailly faces up to five months out following knee surgery.

With Barcelona set to seal the title tonight, Dermot Corrigan wraps the LaLiga campaign

Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino does not think the rumours surrounding his position will stop in the wake of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s appointment as Manchester United’s manager.

Gareth Bale was once again feeling the heat

This was a tie which began with two managers, both newly installed, both with outstanding openings to their campaign, but neither certain to be at their respective clubs next season.

Tottenham 0 Manchester United 1

It is the evening of September 9, and the Stade de France is a sea of sound and flashing lights as the Paris public greet their World Cup heroes, embarking on another campaign.

Since Jose Mourinho was sacked as Manchester United boss on Tuesday the search has begun for the club's next permanent manager.

He smiled, charmed, and quipped his way through a relatively stern interrogation from the media yesterday but, after the dust had settled on Jose Mourinho’s press

Arsenal, Manchester City, and Chelsea are on high alert after Cristiano Ronaldo’s buyout clause at Real Madrid was reduced from €1bn to €120m.

When we watch the very best sportstars in action we are consumed by their ability to produce brilliant moments of magic when it matters most. The higher the stage, the more memorable the feat.

It will either be the setback that brings Spain players closer than ever before, bound together by adversity; or it will be the moment their World Cup dream ended before it had even begun.

Spain’s World Cup preparations are in turmoil after the sacking of head coach Julen Lopetegui on the eve of the tournament.

Zinedine Zidane’s shock resignation as Real Madrid coach yesterday took almost everyone by surprise — but it also made a huge amount of sense once he had explained a decision that looks a lot more positive for him personally than the club.

Here's your afternoon news bulletin...

Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos believes Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah still has some way to go to match team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo and Barcelona’s Lionel Messi as they are “in another orbit”.

It’s not quite a spying mission, but when League of Ireland duties are firmly put to bed tonight, John Caulfield will be glued to the box for the Champions League final on Saturday evening.

Real Madrid star Gareth Bale has been keeping a suspiciously low profile in the build up to his team’s Champions League final against Liverpool on Saturday – indicating that his days in Spain could now be numbered.

Jurgen Klopp will have Liverpool playing “like 11 animals” to win the Champions League on Saturday night, Real Madrid midfielder Toni Kroos has declared.

Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane says Cristiano Ronaldo will have recovered from his ankle injury in time to face Liverpool in the Champions League final later this month.

The lead up to tomorrow’s late in the season La Liga Clasico has been quite unique with minds on both sides not quite as focused as usual in the days before the world’s biggest domestic club game.

And so the 2018 Champions League final will be contested by Real Madrid and Liverpool.

Managers Zinedine Zidane and Jupp Heynckes both believe tonight’s blockbusting Champions League semi-final between holders Real Madrid and Bayern Munich is wide open.

 

Zinedine Zidane believes Cristiano Ronaldo will leave a lasting legacy at Real Madrid like Alfredo Di Stefano has.

They include a few overhead kicks to match even Ronaldo's superhuman effort.

Real Madrid overcame a shaky performance to maintain their fine recent form to defeat Eibar 2-1 at the Estadio Municipal de Ipurua.

Paris St Germain’s Dani Alves wants to “send a message to Europe” by ending Real Madrid’s Champions League defence.

Skipper Sergio Ramos scored a late penalty clincher as Real Madrid came from behind to win 3-1 at Leganes and ease themselves into third place in LaLiga.

Real Madrid 3 PSG 1

Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane looked supremely relaxed as he smiled his way through yesterday’s press conference ahead of tonight’s Champions League last-16 first leg at home to Paris Saint Germain.

Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane has called on the club’s supporters to get behind Karim Benzema after the France international was whistled.

Daniel Storey reviews the football year.

Only at Real Madrid could the manager be potentially under pressure for his job at the end of a week which began with the team returning home as world champions.

Barcelona's bid to sign Liverpool star Philippe Coutinho continues.

In Paris tonight, during a television programme hosted by David Ginola, the famous Ballon d’Or trophy will be presented for the 62nd time.

Fernando Torres is eyeing a return to the Premier League and could be interested in signing for Newcastle or Southampton.

Tottenham 1 - Crystal Palace 0: If the measure of a team that is going places is the ability to win ‘ugly’ when necessary, Tottenham passed their latest test with a functional win over lowly Crystal Palace that was in stark contrast to their thrilling victory over Real Madrid in midweek.

Real Madrid are a team in crisis and free fall following their Champions League “nightmare” against Tottenham, according to the Spanish press.