MADRID, (Reuters) – Real Madrid kick off the Spanish  season against Deportivo Coruna tomorrow needing to prove  that splashing out a quarter of a billion euros ($356 million)  will eclipse treble-winning rivals Barcelona.

Florentino Perez has returned as Real president pledging a  “spectacular sporting project” and the arrival of Cristiano  Ronaldo, Kaka, Karim Benzema, Xabi Alonso and others has lifted  the hopes of the fans. The club have a chance to lay down a marker at home to Depor  as Barca’s opening La Liga match against Sporting Gijon has been  put back to Monday due to the European and Spanish champions’  Super Cup clash against Shakhtar Donetsk of Ukraine today.

“It’s not about any individual player but about the whole  team which has to organise itself and hone a collective  strategy,” Spain midfielder Alonso told the daily Publico yesterday.

Under new coach Manuel Pellegrini, poached from Villarreal,  Real hope Alonso can provide the creative spark in central  midfield that was lacking last season and help them match the  slick passing and devastating attacking play of Barca. Real’s strategy will be maintaining possession, controlling  the tempo of matches, being dynamic and showing movement in  attack, added Alonso who joined from Liverpool this month. Barca have already won one trophy this season, a thumping  5-1 aggregate win over Athletic Bilbao in the Spanish Super Cup,  with coach Pep Guardiola adding striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic and  left back Maxwell to his squad.