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How much will Real Madrid miss suspended Cristiano Ronaldo?

Zinedine Zidane embraces Cristiano Ronaldo after Real Madrdid are crowned 2016/17 La Liga champions
Image: How much will Real miss Cristiano Ronaldo?

Cristiano Ronaldo has been suspended for five games, including the opening four La Liga games of the term, but how will Real Madrid miss him?

Ronaldo was suspended for one match after being sent off during Sunday's first leg of the Spanish Super Cup but was given an additional four-match ban for shoving the referee in the back after being dismissed.

Real showed they can cope without their all-time top scorer as even a man down for the final stages at the Nou Camp, they won 3-1 having been 2-1 up at the time of the dismissal.

Marco Asensio impressed with his late cameo, netting what could prove to be a crucial third goal in added time, and the 21-year-old could well be given the nod in the opening few games of the La Liga season.

How much will Real miss Ronaldo? We take a look at their fixtures after Wednesday's Clasico.

Cristiano Ronaldo reacts to his red card during Spanish Super Cup Final, 1st Leg at the Nou Camp
Image: Ronaldo received a five-game ban for his red card and shoving the referee

How did they cope last season?

You may be surprised to read this, but Real coped very well indeed without their star forward last season.

Real won all nine of their La Liga games without the 32-year-old last season, compared to a 69 per cent win rate with Ronaldo. However, it must be noted that Real did play against lesser opposition without Ronaldo last term, including Leganes and relegated sides Gijon and Granada.

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They averaged 3.4 goals per game without him, compared to 2.6 with, and averaged 17.6 shots per game compared with 17.4 without him.

Real Madrid with and without Cristiano Ronaldo

With Ronaldo La Liga - 2016/17 Without Ronaldo
29 Games 9
20 Wins 9
6 Draws 0
3 Losses 0
69% Win percentage 100%
2.6 Avg. goals for 3.4
1.1 Avg. goals against 1.1
17.4 Shots per game 17.6

The games he will miss...

Deportivo (away) - August 20, 9.15pm, live on Sky Sports Football

Real brushed aside Deportivo last season at the Riazor, even without the rested Ronaldo. James Rodriguez netted twice in a 6-2 victory in April, after they had earned a dramatic 3-2 win in the home game earlier in the season, also without Ronaldo.

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Deportivo will be glad to see the back of Ronaldo again; he's netted an incredible 11 goals in just nine games against them.

Valencia (home) - August 27, 9.15pm, live on Sky Sports football

Real didn't have too many problematic home games last season, but this was one of them. With Barcelona hot on Real's heels as La Liga approached the final five games, Ronaldo's opener was cancelled out by Dani Parejo with eight minutes remaining.

Cristiano Ronaldo reacts in disbelief after bering shown a red card for simulation during the Spanish Super Cup Final, First Leg
Image: Ronaldo reacts in disbelief at the Nou Camp

But Marcelo grabbed Real's winner moments later for a dramatic win, and Zinedine Zidane's side never looked back in the title race.

Ronaldo has 13 goals in 17 appearances against Valencia, including four goals in his last three appearances.

Levante (home) - September 9, time TBC

Newly-promoted Levante are another of Ronaldo's favourite opponents, having scored 14 times in just 13 appearances.

La Liga back on Sky Sports
La Liga back on Sky Sports

La Liga returns to our screens this weekend, with both Real Madrid and Barcelona kicking off their campaigns on Sky Sports

Real have won their last nine games against Levante, who have not won at the Bernabeu since 2007.

With the Champions League group stage kicking off in the midweek after the Levante game, Zidane may well have rested his star man for this fixture anyhow.

Real Sociedad (away) - September 17, time TBC

Real kicked off last season at the Anoeta without the injured Ronaldo, but came out on top with a comfortable 3-0 win.

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We take a look back to last season when Las Palmas player Marko Livaja was banned for four games for pushing the referee

Ronaldo's record against Sociedad? You guessed it: clinical.

He's scored 12 goals in eight games against them, including 10 in his last five. Sociedad have just one win over Real in their last 21 games, dating back to May 2004.

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