Surprising Sociedad face severe test against Deportivo

Surprise Spanish league leaders Real Sociedad fast the sternest test of their season so far when they host Deportivo La Coruna on Saturday.

The home clash with Deportivo is the start of a series of matches which could expose the real ambitions of a club which last won the first division title in 1982.

Sociedad face Real Madrid at the Bernabeu next week and then Barcelona on December 1 as they bid to preserve their three-point lead over reigning champions Valencia.

Former Liverpool goalkeeper Sander Westerveld has the unenviable job of stopping free-scoring Deportivo striker Roy Makaay from ruining the ambitions of the Basque club.

"He's a very hard player to stop," Westerveld said on the Marca website on Friday. "He's so fast and he has great ability with either foot. In the five years he has been in Spain he has shown what a great player he is because he always scores a lot of goals."

Stuttering Real Madrid must win against Rayo Vallecano in a city derby which has always failed to inflame the passions of the cross-city clashes in Milan and Manchester.

It would be a perfect time for Ronaldo to add the paltry two goals he has scored since his 45-million-euro transfer from Inter Milan.

The Brazilian World Cup winner said this week he was confident the goals would come once he reached full fitness.

His strike partner Raul meanwhile could miss the match after losing three kilogrammes with a stomach bug.

Fixtures

Saturday:

Malaga vs. Osasuna, Real Sociedad vs. Deportivo La Coruna, Rayo Vallecano vs. Real Madrid, Barcelona vs. Villareal, Valencia vs. Real Betis

Sunday:

Celta Vigo vs. Espanyol, Huelva vs. Valladolid, Real Mallorca vs. Alaves, Sevilla vs. Racing Santander, Atletico Madrid vs. Athletic Bilbao