Alavés 0 - Valencia 1

Alavés: Herrera; Contra, Téllez, Karmona, Josete; Pablo, Desio; Morales, Magno, Nan Ribera; Kodro. 4-2-3-1.
Valencia: Cañizares; Angloma, Djukic, Bjorklund, Carboni; Angulo, Gerard, Mendieta, Kily González; Ilie, Juan Sánchez. 4-4-2.

Team changes: Alavés: Contra, Josete for Torres Mestre, Azkoitia / Valencia: Angloma, Juan Sánchez for Gerardo, Claudio López.

Goals:
0-1. 71. Farinós (pen). Dubious foul by Contra on Ilie, who fell easily.

Referee Turienzo Alvarez had to be escorted from the ground after awarding a dubious penalty to Valencia and then ignoring two much more valid claims from Alavés, one for a hand ball and another for a foul on Morales near the end. To top it all, Turienzo sent off Alavés captain Karmona five minutes from time, and then reported Salinas and Contra after the match for insults on the way in to the dressing room (Salinas asked him if he would have the b*lls to award a penalty like that against Barcelona or Real Madrid, and Contra was complemented on his command of Spanish with the mouthful he fired off after only a few months in Spain). All three players are likely to be suspended for next week's match against Barcelona. Under Federation rules, Turienzo, who was born near Bilbao, should not have been allowed to referee a match involving a local team, but as he is registered in Castilla-Leon this rule did not apply. Two seasons ago, with Alavés playing Bilbao B in the second division, he showed 18 yellow cards and one red, and again had to be escorted out after the crowd rioted. Referees are currently appointed by the Federation computer after complaints by Barcelona, Atlético Madrid and others that the system was fixed, although there have been demands to go back to the something like the old selection system to avoid pairings like this. Other than the above incidents, the main point of interest was the exclusion of Piojo López from the Valencia team. Manager Héctor Cúper had given him six days forced leave, and he had returned to Argentina to sort out some personal matters. In a week where the Valencia board apparently turned down the formal resignation of president Pedro Cortés, and Héctor Cúper was rumoured to be on the verge of being fired, the victory restored calm to the club, and hopefully they can pack up their troubles in that old kit bag and smile, smile, smile (all together now....). Some chance. For the record, Alavés hold on to sixth place, and Valencia are back up to ninth.

Betis 0 - Málaga 0

Betis: Prats; Otero, Crosa, Bornes, Rivas; Gálvez, Merino, Karhan, Cuéllar; Denilson, Alfonso. 4-4-2.
Málaga: Contreras; Rojas, Bravo, Sanz, Larrainzar, Valcarce; De los Santos, Movilla, Agostinho; Edgar, Catanha. 5-3-2.

Team changes: Betis: Rivas, Karhan, Cuéllar for Filipescu, Ito, Luis Fernández / Málaga: Rojas, Sanz, Catanha for Ruano, Rufete, Darío Silva.

Goals: None.

Betis president and ex moneylender Manuel Ruiz de Lopera finally lost patience with his manager Carlos Timoteo Griguol after this score-less local derby and decided to terminate his contract with immediate effect. Lopera had given Griguol an ultimatum before this match, and offered a special financial incentive to players to avoid a loss against one of the local enemies. They didn't lose, but their poor performance which took them to within two points of the relegation zone, was enough for Lopera. Antic and Scala were amongst possible candidates, but in the end it was ex Valencia, Real Madrid and Holland manager Guus Hiddink who fitted the bill, and he takes over this week. The match ended up as do many local derbies, with both teams cancelling each other out in a game with few scoring chances and no goals. Griguol was forced to leave out Luis Fernández who aggravated an injury in the pre-match warm up, and Cuéllar came in at the last minute. Peiró brought back Catanha after a one match suspension. With the forwards incapable of finding the net, Betis keeper Prats was charged with taking free kicks, but this time he was not able to repeat his scoring feat against Real Madrid mid-week. Prats has scored two in the league so far, which as one disgruntled sports commentator pointed out, is one more than record signing Denilson. Catanha had the best chance of the match two minutes from the end, but this time the Brazilian striker was off the mark and let his opponents off the hook. Catanha is expected to get his Spanish nationalisation papers through within a few days, and Spain's manager José Antonio Camacho is already talking about calling him up for their next friendly match. Málaga hold on to 12th place, four points away from the UEFA places. However they may have a better chance of qualifying for the UEFA cup through the fair play table, which they top in Spain. This year Spanish teams are amongst the best in Europe (difficult to believe with the referees we have here), and may be allotted one of the three places available for Europe's good guys.

Racing 3 - Oviedo 1

Racing: Ceballos; Mellberg, Txema, Sietes; Manjarín, Espina, Colsa, Amavisca; Vivar Dorado; Munitis, Salva. 3-4-1-2.
Oviedo: Esteban; Boris, Onopko, Danjou; Eskurza, Paulo Bento, Iván Anía, Rabarivony; Pompei; Losada, Dely Valdés. 3-4-1-2.

Team changes: Racing: Ceballos, Manjarín for Lemmens, Neru / Oviedo: Iván Anía for Iván Iglesias.

Goals:
1-0. 18. Munitis. Cross from left by Amavisca headed in by Munitis.
2-0. 20. Vivar Dorado. Battled through defence and squeezed shot past keeper.
3-0. 59. Espina. Free kick into top corner of net leaving Esteban no chance.
3-1. 88. Amieva. Followed up after Ceballos saved Pompei's shot.

Racing's manager Gustavo Benítez saved his job for the time being with a convincing victory against fellow strugglers Oviedo, only the second win at home for the Santander side in the whole season. For once the league's top scorer and new international Salva didn't get a goal, but his team did manage three in the first hour of the match, including a rare header from diminutive forward Munitis and a spectacular free kick from Argentina's veteran midfielder Espina. Racing's line up had to be changed near kick off as first choice keeper Lemmens went down with flu, and so unexpected was it that an announcement had to be made at the ground before kick off to find the B team reserve keeper Chila to fill the gap on the bench. Luis Aragonés stuck to the same block of players, but there again with Nadj still injured, he doesn't have many alternatives. In any case he decided he had had enough at half time, and after changing Rubén for Iván Ania at the break, he put on his remaining two substitutes Oscar and Amieva for Onopko and Eskurza five minutes later. Meanwhile Benítez replaced a not yet fully fit Manjarín with Neru also at half time, opting for a more defensive line up in the second half to defend his lead (and his job). With the victory Racing keep their heads just out of water, one place and one point above the bottom three. Oviedo go under for the second time, dropping to next to bottom, and if Aragonés doesn't get some new water wings soon, he could be the next to go. Baywatch have been advised to stand by - drowning man on the horizon.