Hours before the awaited kick-off, Real Madrid find themselves facing the same old nightmare that has haunted everyone who came before Jose Mourinho on the Santiago Bernabeu bench.
The Royal club officially begin their season next Saturday, 22 August, with a tough clash against Espanyol at 9:30pm. Yet the start looks threatened by a gap that all the transfer market movement has failed to close.
A chronic crisis at the heart of the defence
Centre-back remains a chronic headache at the White House. It plagued Carlo Ancelotti, Xabi Alonso and even Alvaro Arbeloa, and it now passes unchanged to Mourinho.
David Alaba left the club last summer, and the board replaced the Austrian by signing Frenchman Ibrahima Konate. That move alone was not enough to solve a dilemma Mourinho understands only too well, which explains why he has pushed for an additional centre-back from his very first day in charge.
A predicament against Espanyol: only three names
The problem will surface starkly against Espanyol, according to "Mundo Deportivo". Mourinho will have just three defenders ready in the centre: Germany's Antonio Rudiger, young Spaniard Dean Huijsen, and new arrival Konate.
Every other option is out of the reckoning. Injuries rule out both Raul Asencio and Brazilian Eder Militao, the coach is not counting on the academy defenders, and Militao faces a long spell on the sidelines.
Which pairing will Mourinho choose to lead the back line against Espanyol? The current data offers little comfort. Konate has featured only in the Schalke 04 match alongside Huijsen, and although the youngster has improved since his early days, he still raises plenty of doubts.
You can discuss the topics and news in greater depth in the "Kooora" forumsRudiger brings vast experience, but his showings across the pre-season have posed more questions than they have answered. Real Madrid go into the new campaign with a weak, exposed central defence. Mourinho's biggest challenge is clear: repair the line and salvage the start, at least in the opening battle against Espanyol.