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Cristiano Ronaldo's absence should present no problem for Real Madrid in the second leg of the Spanish Super Cup against Barcelona on Wednesday. Ronaldo had his five-game ban, resulting from his actions in the first leg, upheld by an appeals committee earlier in the day. He received a one-game ban when he was booked for removing his shirt while celebrating a goal and then shown a second yellow minutes later for diving. His response to the second booking -- pushing referee Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea from behind -- meant that Ronaldo will be banned four additional games. Madrid, who carry a 3-1 lead into the second leg at the Santiago Bernabeu, have a 90 percent chance of winning the Super Cup for the 10th time, according to FiveThirtyEight's Soccer Power Index. They went unbeaten over 14 games without Ronaldo last season, when they won La Liga and the UEFA Champions League, and likewise have not lost during the 10 games Ronaldo has missed through suspension during his time with Madrid. This is the seventh Clasico in the Super Cup, with Real winning the last in 2012. Barcelona have won the Super Cup on 12 occasions, including last year, but won it against Real Madrid only in 2011. Lionel Messi, who scored Barcelona's only goal in the first leg from the penalty spot, enters Wednesday with 13 goals in the Super Cup -- the most of any player in the history of the competition. He has scored 24 goals in El Clasico, also the most of all time.
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