| Last
week's disciplinary committee finally ruled on the case of Valladolid's
Jesús, banning him for three games after video evidence demonstrated
that he had punched Numancia's Marini two games ago. They also suspended
Schurrer from Las Palmas for one match despite technical errors in the
referee's report (see week 22), and they reduced the ban on Ayala from three
games to two, allowing him to play this weekend. Only two sendings off during
the week, and strangely both were goalkeepers. Nacho González from Las
Palmas was given a direct red card for the second time this season, and could
be due a larger ban than the one match suspension last time. The other keeper,
Málaga's Contreras, was actually let off the hook by Esquinas Torres
when he brought down Rubén Navarro in the penalty area, only getting a
yellow card, but when he repeated the act later on with Iñaki Esquinas
produced a second yellow and sent him off. In fact he would have been correct
to show a red for either offence. Cards a-plenty for our top villains this
week, with Samways moving up to third in our chart after becoming the third
player (after Figo and Marini) to complete the second cycle of five cards.
Samways is one of eight who will miss next week's round of games for
accumulation of yellow cards, and he is joined by such illustrious names as
Celta's Juanfran and Karpin, Real Madrid's Makelele, Zaragoza's Toro
Acuña, Samways teammate at Las Palmas Jorge, Real Sociedad's Pikabea and
Málaga's Roteta. Let's not forget too an old villain, Simeone, ex of
Atlético Madrid and now in the Lazio side which faced Real Madrid. He
left an eight inch long gash in Iván Helguera's leg in that match and
has threatened to do worse in the return game next week. Once a villain, always
a villain! (19.02.01) |
