Ronaldo back for Real, Deulofeu in for Dembele

Real Madrid striker Cristiano Ronaldo will return to action against Real Betis on Wednesday after serving a five-match suspension, as the champions look to keep the pressure on La Liga leaders Barcelona.

Ronaldo was sent off during the Spanish Super Cup win over Barcelona on Aug. 13 and banned for five matches after pushing the referee, meaning he is yet to feature in the league this season.

The Portuguese hitman struck twice in his only appearance since the incident, a comfortable 3-0 win over Apoel Nicosia in the Champions League last Wednesday.

Youngster Borja Mayoral and Gareth Bale struck for a weakened Madrid on Sunday as they beat Real Sociedad 3-1, but as well as Ronaldo, Marcelo and Toni Kroos are expected to return after suspension and injury respectively.

Despite the impressive display against a previously unbeaten Real Sociedad, Ronaldo's return will be vital for Madrid as they look to take advantage of a soft fixture schedule over the next two months to push rivals Barcelona.

The Catalans, who face Eibar on Tuesday, sit top of the table and are four points ahead of Madrid, in fourth place.

Barcelona were rocked by Ousmane Dembele's injury during their 2-1 win at Getafe on Saturday, with the French winger set to miss around four months with a ruptured hamstring.

Madrid's home clash with Betis marks the start of a run of league fixtures which, on paper, they should win, including home games against Espanyol, Eibar and Las Palmas.

"If we carry on like this we can do a lot of damage," said Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane after his side’s win in the Basque Country.

"We're back on track but we've got to keep going because there's another game on Wednesday."

Mid-table Betis have not beaten Madrid in the league at the Bernabeu in 19 years and only five times in 51 attempts.

If they are to defeat them on Wednesday, they will need experienced winger Joaquin, 36, and summer signing Andres Guardado, 30, to continue their excellent form.

"They are like kids in a school yard, they give it back to the guy that gives it back to them," Betis coach Quique Setien said of the midfielders.

"(Guardado) is a footballer I can't describe, extraordinary. He has enormous quality and an enormous work rate. Just like Joaquin, they are reference points for the team."

Barcelona begin a four-month stretch without injured club record signing Ousmane Dembele, but will be expected to sweep aside Eibar to continue their 100 percent start to La Liga on Tuesday.

Dembele opens door to Deulofeu

Dembele's prolonged absence hands Gerard Deulofeu a chance he could only have dreamed about when resigning for his boyhood club in June.

At the time Deulofeu was seen as able deputy to back up a front three of Neymar, Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez.

But the 23-year-old has already enjoyed over three times as many minutes in his second spell at Barca than his first due to Neymar's departure and Dembele's misfortune.

Deulofeu now has the chance he craved of a run in the Barca side until the new year and could even cement his place in the Spain squad for next year's World Cup if he turns his potential into consistent performances.

Eibar reboot for Suarez

A Suarez was back on the scoresheet for Barca at the weekend, but it was Denis who netted off the bench as Luis endured another 90 minutes to forget.

The Uruguayan has scored just once this season having rushed back from an expected month-long knee injury layoff in just two weeks.

Suarez looks slow, cumbersome and miles off the player who scored 59 goals two seasons ago.

The visit of Eibar could be just what he needs to reboot, though, as he has bagged five in five games against the Basques and scored in all of his last four matches against them.

'Persecuted' Ronaldo returns

"I hope it is for the last game this season," said Zinedine Zidane at the prospect of missing Ronaldo for Sunday's vital 3-1 win at Real Sociedad as the European champions got back to winning ways in La Liga.

The World Player of the Year's "persecution", as he described his ban, is over as he will be free to make his first league appearance of the season against Betis on Wednesday.

His absence was most keenly felt in profligate Madrid displays in dropping points at home to Valencia and Levante.

Ronaldo showed Real what they were missing with a double against APOEL Nicosia last midweek.

But his enforced absence could yet benefit Madrid as it did last season when a delayed start to the campaign through injury meant a fresher Ronaldo hit top form in the final months of the season, scoring 10 goals in the Champions League from the quarter-finals on.

Are Atletico for real?

A trip to Bilbao is often a litmus test for whether Atletico can mount a serious title challenge.

It was after victory at San Mames in their title winning campaign in 2013/14 that Diego Simeone admitted for the first time his side could beat Madrid and Barca to La Liga.

Atletico's unbeaten start to the season will be severely tested over the next week with Sevilla and Chelsea also visiting the Wanda Metropolitano.

However, already trailing Barca by four points, Atletico can't ill afford that gap to grow if they are to maintain hope of a serious title charge.

Mel or Michel next for the chop

Luis Zubeldia became La Liga's first managerial casualty of the season after just four games in charge of Alaves without a point or even a goal.

Malaga are the only other side yet to register a point and Michel could be next to go with another defeat at Valencia on Tuesday.

Pepe Mel's position at Deportivo la Coruna is also in danger should the Galicians fail to get their first win of the season by inflicting more pain on Alaves.

Fixtures

Tuesday

Valencia v Malaga (1800), Barcelona v Eibar (2000)

Wednesday

Leganes v Girona, Athletic Bilbao v Atletico Madrid (1800), Deportivo la Coruna v Alaves (1900), Real Madrid v Real Betis, Sevilla v Las Palmas (2000)

Thursday

Villarreal v Espanyol (1800), Celta Vigo v Getafe (1900), Levante v Real Sociedad (2000)