Real Madrid might have had a substantially better season than rivals Barcelona last season, but they'll need to work hard to continue that dominance.
Carlo Ancelotti's side romped to the title in Spain before beating Liverpool in Paris to extend their trophy record in the Champions League. La Liga runners-up Barca, meanwhile, took a while to recover from the slow start which saw Ronald Koeman dismissed as manager.
Xavi's arrival in the dugout helped the Catalan club recover, and they recorded an impressive Clasico victory in March. However, after dropping out of the Champions League in the group stages and the Europa League in the last eight, they'll be desperate to make a statement this term.
Both clubs have already begun their preparations for the new season, though to different degrees. Real Madrid have acted quickly, adding Antonio Rudiger and Aurelien Tchouameni to their ranks while letting the likes of Gareth Bale move on.
Barcelona have also made an early addition, adding youngster Pablo Torre from Racing Santander, but one suspects the bigger deals have yet to come. They've also lost a few members of last season's squad, with loanee Adama Traore returning to Wolverhampton Wanderers and Dani Alves also leaving Camp Nou for a second time.
There's plenty of time for the big-hitters to add to their squads before the season begins in August. Here, Mirror Football looks at dream potential line-ups for both Barcelona and Real Madrid if the clubs get the players they want.
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Goalkeepers
While other areas of the pitch might need strengthening, the goalkeeper position is relatively settled. Thibaut Courtois has been Real Madrid's number one since joining in 2018, while Marc-Andre ter Stegen has had the Barca gloves for even longer.
Courtois' match-winning performance in the Champions League final means he's likely to go into the new season with plenty of confidence. His counterpart, meanwhile, missed just three La Liga games all season.
Defenders
Madrid have already got their biggest defensive signing over the line, with Rudiger joining from Chelsea. The German is expected to partner David Alaba, which would mean fewer minutes for Eder Militao.
At full-back, things may well remain unchanged, with Ferland Mendy and Dani Carvajal retaining starting spots. Both worked well in Ancelotti's system last season, with no strong reports of significant investment on either side of the back line.
That's not the case at Camp Nou, however. Alves' departure and the unconvincing form of Sergino Dest could prompt the addition of a right-sided defender, with Barca spending a long time trying to convince Cesar Azpilicueta to join from Chelsea.
While Jordi Alba may continue at left-back, another central defensive addition seems likely with Gerard Pique moving towards the end of his career and Clement Lenglet linked with a move to Tottenham. Denmark international Andreas Christensen could be a cheaper option, but if Barca have money to spend then a push for Sevilla star Jules Kounde could once again be on the cards.
Midfielders
The addition of Tchouameni leaves Real Madrid with a daunting midfield both for the present and the future. The former Monaco midfielder is just 22 years old, with compatriot Eduardo Camavinga even younger, but we might not see both involved every week this season.
With Luka Modric and Toni Kroos in the final year of their deals, we might see the veterans a little less, but Modric has shown he can still be relied upon at this late stage of his career. With Casemiro and Fede Valverde also available to step in, there's balance in both age and position with Ancelotti in good shape to rotate in the middle when needed.
Barcelona's midfield set-up could depend on outs as well as ins, with Frenkie de Jong expected to complete a move away from Catalunya. However, given where investment is most needed, the multi-million fee could be allocated elsewhere.
A trio of Pedri, Gavi and Sergio Busquets could well be the way forward, with the old generation leading the new. If they do look for midfield reinforcements, Ruben Neves is among those to have been mentioned, but Xavi will surely know exactly what he wants.
Forwards
Most of the noise around Real Madrid's attack has focused on the will they, won't they discussion about Mohamed Salah. However, with the Liverpool star agreeing a new deal with the Premier League club, Madrid will need to look elsewhere.
Alternatively, they might just decide to stick with what they have. Bale and Isco may have gone, with Luka Jovic heading out on loan, but a front three of Karim Benzema, Vinicius Jr. and Rodrygo was more than good enough last season.
Barcelona are well-stocked up front, even with Traore and Luuk de Jong returning to their parent clubs. However, with Memphis Depay also linked with an exit and Ousmane Dembele out of contract, there could be more changes.
Raphinha is the player most strongly linked with the club, though there will be competition from the likes of Chelsea and Arsenal, while efforts have been made to sign Bayern Munich star Robert Lewandowski. If both sign, the third spot may rely on the fitness of Ansu Fati, though mid-season signings Ferran Torres and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang will also be battling for minutes.
