MADRID, Aug. 16 -- Real Madrid kick off their La Liga campaign away to Deportivo la Coruna on Sunday knowing that they are favorites to retain the title they won last season.

Zinedine Zidane's side had a slow start to their pre-season with a less than successful tour of the United States, but have showed in the run up to the new campaign that the troubles were due to early summer teething troubles rather than any structural problems.

Things clicked into place as they defeated Manchester United in the European Supercup, while last Sunday saw them dispatch main title rivals FC Barcelona 3-1 in the Camp Nou.

Apart from those two wins, there are many reasons why Madrid are favorites to retain their title and perhaps win the Champions League for a third successive season. The past three years have seen Madrid slowly assemble a squad which mixes experience and youth and which looks to have cover in virtually every area of the park.

It is true that Pepe, Danilo, James and Alvaro Morata left over the summer, with the departure of the last two perhaps depriving Zidane of important goals and Pepe taking away some defensive experience.

However, the departed quartet have been replaced by youth and talent with lightening fast left back Theo Hernandez and talented midfielder Dani Ceballos both signed, while Marcos Llorente returned from a very successful loan spell with Alaves and young defender Jesus Vallejo rejoining after a spell in Germany.

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