| The
villain of the week this week is undoubtedly Valladolid's Jesús. Accused
of punching Marini recently in the match at Numancia, he was banned for three
matches on video evidence. However the club were able to convince the
disciplinary committee that he really was a nice chap and that it all was a
horrible misunderstanding, and after serving out one match the suspension was
put on hold. That meant he could play in the last two matches, including
Sunday's game at Osasuna. However with a minute to go to the end and his team
losing, Jesús tripped one of the opposing players earning himself a
second yellow card and getting himself sent off by Esquinas Torres. Not content
with that, he accused the referee of wanting to send him off, calling him a
'chulo'. (Oxford dictionary definition 'pimp, ruffian'), not a nice thing to
say in Spain. All of this was reflected in the referee's act, and despite his
subsequent apology the player could be in for a longer ban when the committee
meets again this week. Other than that only one sending off, Bilbao's Lasa for
a second bookable offence near the end of the game with Las Palmas. By our
reckoning no less than eleven players did however reach the next threshold of
yellow cards and will have to sit out a game, including three who picked up
their tenth, De los Santos, Baraja and Keita, who moves up to second equal in
our table. He and Poschner are still some way behind Arzeno though, our star
villain picking up another booking this weekend. One yellow card was sure at
least this week, Numancia's Manel who was on four yellows before their game
with Racing. He cannot play in the next fixture against Deportivo for
contractual reasons as he is on loan from them. Lo and behold, he got himself
booked and has to serve a one match ban in that game. Lucky coincidence?
(05.03.01) |
