Barcelona will begin the defense of its Primera Liga title at home to Sporting Gijon, while Real Madrid will take on Deportivo Coruna at the Bernabeu in its opening match. The first round of the 2009-10 season will take place on the weekend of Aug. 29-30, although Barca will not play Sporting until Aug. 31 due to its Super Cup clash against Shakhtar Donetsk three days earlier. The first of Spain's two “Clasico” fixtures between arch-rivals Real and Barca is the weekend of Nov. 28-29 at the Nou Camp and the second is at the Bernabeu the weekend of April 10-11. 2nd ‘galactico' era begins Real Madrid's second “galactico” era got under way on Friday as Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema led football's most expensive squad through its first preseason practice. New coach Manuel Pellegrini spoke to the team briefly ahead of a training session that included most of Madrid's 29 players except Brazil playmaker Kaka, defenders Sergio Ramos and Raul Albiol, goalkeeper Iker Casillas and midfielder Daniel Parejo. They will join the team on July 27. Striker Ruud van Nistelrooy and midfielder Mahamadou Diarra trained for the first time after missing most of last season to knee injuries. In all, five new players trained at Valdebebas after Madrid exercised its option to buy striker Alvaro Negredo back from Almeria and ended Ezequiel Garay's loan spell with Racing Santander. “A new project has started and if there's something that has to stand out in the first days it will be excitement,” sporting director Miguel Pardeza said. “People are excited. An important era is starting for everyone, players and coaches, and they are all very motivated.” Madrid president Florentino Perez has spent $290 million to recruit Ronaldo, Kaka, Benzema and Albiol in hopes of returning Madrid to its standing as the world's biggest club. Last season, Madrid lost its domestic title and endured a difficult campaign. Main rival Barcelona became the first Spanish club to win three trophies in a season following league, domestic cup and Champions League triumphs, while former president Ramon Calderon resigned in January following a vote-rigging scandal. Madrid will travel to Dublin on Monday for a 10-day training camp that will see it play Shamrock Rovers on July 20. The Spanish season begins on Aug. 29. Ballack to captain Germany Michael Ballack will remain captain of the German national team for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, coach Joachim Loew said Friday. Loew told the German news agency, DPA, that he would keep the 32-year-old Ballack in the post despite a public feud between the player and coach last year. “Michael Ballack is, with his experience as captain, very high up in the hierarchy of the team, that's clear,” Loew was quoted as telling DPA.
