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Madrid, Spain (SportsNetwork.com) - Real Madrid is will be shorthanded when the club welcomes Real Sociedad to the Bernabeu on Saturday. Cristiano Ronaldo will begin his two-match ban for committing acts of violent conduct in Real Madrids 2-1 defeat of Cordoba last time out. The reigning Ballon dOr winner has been in fine form in recent weeks, but Real Madrids star-studded squad makes the team an instant favorite regardless of the opposition. Gareth Bale, who nabbed the winning goal in Madrids win over Cordoba, will be asked to shoulder the bulk of the offensive responsibilities. Karim Benzema, meanwhile, will be aiming to find the back of the net for just the second time in the clubs last six outings across all competitions. Real Sociedad will be tasked with slowing down La Ligas top side, but the club also needs to focus on its own form. La Real has been quite inconsistent in recent few months, producing a 4-5-5 record over its last 14 league contests. One victory from that run did come against Barcelona, though, so David Moyes will hope to lead his team to another major scalp on Saturday. Barcelona has gone on a three-game winning run since falling to Sociedad at the Anoeta, as well as dispatching of Atletico Madrid in the Copa del Rey. The Catalans will return to La Liga action on Sunday with a home clash against a Villarreal side that enters the weekend on a 10-game unbeaten streak. Third-place Atletico Madrid will hope to bounce back from its cup exit on Saturday when the club heads to Eibar. Also on Saturday, Granada and Elche will meet in a relegation six-pointer and Celta Vigo will hope to snap a run of one point from nine matches when the club welcomes Cordoba to the Estadio Municipal de Balaidos. Sevilla, reeling from a disappointing loss to Valencia last time out, will return to action on Sunday with a potentially tricky fixture against Espanyol. Athletic Bilbao snapped a run of four straight defeats by claiming a draw against Malaga last weekend. Now, the club will turn its attention to its meeting with Levante on Sunday. Rounding out Sundays slate, Almeria and Getafe will square off at the Estadio de los Juegos Mediterraneos. Fridays lone match saw Rayo Vallecano and Deportivo meet at the Campo de Futbol de Vallecas for another installment of their heated rivalry. The visitors emerged victorious as a brace from Celso Borges helped Deportivo continue its ascent up the table. Cheap Adidas Superstar Free Shipping . - Maynor Figueroa headed in a late goal to give Honduras a 1-1 draw with the United States in an international friendly Tuesday. Cheap Adidas Superstar Online .5 million. The 25-year-old Varlamov is thriving under first-year coach and Hall of Fame goaltender Patrick Roy, posting a 26-9-5 record with a 2. http://www.cheapadidassuperstar.us/ . That Ginette Reno can sing. Adidas Superstar Wholesale China . Martin Reway and David Griger both recorded four points with a goal and three assists each. Mario Lunter, Daniel Gachulinec and Stanislav Horansky also scored for Slovakia (1-0). Dominik Kahun had both goals for Germany (0-2), who lost its opening match to Canada 7-2 on Thursday. Cheap Adidas Superstar Wholesale . -- Pelicans coach Monty Williams does not expect guard Eric Gordon to play in any of New Orleans final five games this season. CHICAGO -- Paul Konerko will likely be watching from the bench for the start of what figures to be his 16th and final opening day with the Chicago White Sox And the 38-year-old first baseman is comfortable with that decision, which ends a streak of 15 consecutive opening-day starts. Konerkos new role is as a right-handed-hitting platoon player at designated hitter. With Minnesota starting right-hander Ricky Nolasco, left-handed-hitting Adam Dunn will start. "I just think its the way it should be," Konerko said Sunday as both teams conducted voluntary workouts. "Its just not part of the blueprint of what were going to do here. ... Its pretty simple. Theres a plan and roles of when guys play and when they dont." A six-time All-Star, Konerko agreed in December to a $2.5 million, one-year contract. White Sox manager Robin Ventura said Konerko made the choice to stay with the platoon. "In talking to Paulie, its not an easy decision," Ventura said, "but when you go over how youre going to do this and make this work, he made it clear this is kind of what he signed up to do." Left-hander Chris Sale starts for the White Sox. He was surprised by Konerkos decision but said he respected it. "I think he should be out there," Sale said. "What hes done for this city, what hes done for this team, who hes been throughout his career, I think hes earned that. But what he says, goes." Starting his second White Sox opener, Sale faces Nolasco in only the third time opening-day meeting between the teams and the first since 19993.dddddddddddd. After a lengthy and severe Chicago winter, Mondays forecast calls for partly sunny skies and a 65-degree temperature. The White Sox are coming off a 63-99 season, their poorest record since 1970. Their projected lineup features five players making their opening-day debuts, including Cuban slugger Jose Abreu, who signed a $68 million, six-year contract. "I dont really know where Im going to be hitting, but it doesnt matter," Abreu said through a translator. "To be honest with you, thats irrelevant. Im ready to hit wherever they put me. Im here to help the team." Minnesota (66-96) committed $73 million to sign Nolasco (13-11 for Miami and the Los Angeles Dodgers) and Phil Hughes in an effort to rebuild its pitching. "Its important to get off to a good start," Nolasco said. "I know theyve been struggling the last couple years, but weve been working hard as a staff trying to go out there do quick, efficient innings, get us back in the dugout and try to swing the bats." Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said Nolasco is ready for the season. "Rickys game on," he said. "Im not worried about him one bit. Hell go until he tells us hes tired. Hes very sure of what he needs to do to win." Despite snow piles and a frozen field earlier this month, Roger Bossards groundskeepers got the playing surface ready at U.S. Cellular Field. "Im impressed," Ventura said. "We thought thered be an iceberg out in left field with all the reports we got. ... But we knew Roger would pull it off this off." ' ' '