Following disappointing League campaigns for Barcelona and Real Madrid last time out, both clubs have flexed their financial muscle and appear more rippling with attacking menace than ever before. Throw in defending champions Atletico Madrid and breaking into the top three feels like an unfashionable task for the teams below.
This leaves the likes of Athletic Bilbao, Sevilla and Valencia to scrap it out for the final Champions League qualification spot, in addition to Villarreal and Real Sociedad. The competition will be fierce as each side bids to overcome their own obstacles in the battle ahead.
Athletic Bilbao were successful in their bid to join the European footballing elite last season, but have been unlucky to be paired with Napoli in their Champions League qualifying playoff. Entry to the group stages of the competition would bring the great excitement of a debut at this level, but also the added pressure of at least six extra big games to the calendar in the early part of the season.
Additionally, talismanic central midfielder Ander Herrera has been sold to Manchester United, without any of his sizeable transfer fee having yet been invested back into the squad. The signings that Ernesto Valverde makes in the next couple of weeks will be critical to his side's ability to fight for fourth spot while taking on a campaign in either Europe's primary or secondary competition.
Meanwhile Sevilla, who finished behind Bilbao in fifth place last term, have similarly had their talent plucked from them by bigger European outfits. Having already lost talented Croatian playmaker Ivan Rakitic to Barcelona, the promising Alberto Moreno's switch to Liverpool will soon be completed after the young left-back bid an emotional farewell to the Sevillistas following the European Super Cup defeat to Real Madrid.
The reigning Europa League champions are seeking to build on an excellent season last time out, considering the loss of Alvaro Negredo and Jesus Navas to Manchester City. After their European success, Los Rojiblancos will bid to close the seven point gap by which they missed out on fourth place. Former Celta Vigo forward Iago Aspas has been brought in on loan from Liverpool, and Coach Unai Emery will be hoping he can rediscover the strong goal-scoring form that earned him his move to Merseyside.
It is at the back though where Emery must perhaps pay greater attention, with his defence shipping 52 goals through the last campaign. Portuguese defender Daniel Carrico's loan move from Reading has been made permanent, but reinforcements will be required to improve the defensive solidity that will be necessary to mount an assault on the top four.
Perhaps to be considered something of a sleeping giant, Valencia represent more of an outside bet for fourth spot, having suffered a fairly miserable time last season. An eighth placed finish sees no European football at Mestalla, which may be a benefit as they seek to rediscover former glories. Barcelona have taken experienced defender Jeremy Mathieu from them, but 22-year-old Shkodran Mustafi has been brought in, fresh from his involvement in Germany's World Cup winning campaign.
With Villarreal and Real Sociedad looking to propel themselves further up the table, not only will the competition among the top three prove compelling, but also the race for the prized final Champions League place.
