LaLiga Santander 2021/22 season kicks off today, Friday, minus Lionel Messi, an icon who embodied everything good about Barcelona and the Spanish top-flight league.

However, from the perspective of Africans, there should be no shortage of interest.

Afterall, there is a new generation of players with African roots such as Ansu Fati and Ilaix Moribi making their mark in LaLiga.

Fati suffered a serious injury that derailed his progress at Barcelona last season.

Now with Messi gone, the striker who has roots in Equatorial Guinea, has the chance to show the stuff he is made up of.

Barcelona will start the post-Messi era when meeting Real Sociedad at the Camp Nou where all portraits of the superstar have been removed after he was pushed out to Paris Saint-Germain in France this week. 

On the field of play, the actual action starts tonight when Valencia CF host Getafe CF at the Mestalla before the action explodes to full life this weekend.

On Saturday, the action continues with Real Madrid hitting the road to face Deportivo Alaves on Saturday in what is the first game for returning Los Blancos coach Carlo Ancelotti.

The Italian, who won the Champions League with Real Madrid a decade ago, replaced Zinedine Zidane.

Elsewhere, Luis Suarez will start a full season with holders Atletico Madrid as they travel tok RC Celta on Sunday.

In another game, Moroccan Youssef En-Nesyri will be the man to watch as Seville welcome Rayo Vallecano on Sunday night.