Seven players sent off in the Spanish cup first round midweek, although only three of those were first division players. Espanyol's top scorer Quique De Lucas showed he has another more violent side to his character when he lashed out with his elbow at Lleida's Angel Luis in the last minute with his side losing. He came off worse though, breaking his arm on the midfielder's head, and the one match ban ne was given for getting a red card is academic as he will be out for two or three weeks. Zaragoza's Garitano was one of three players sent off in extra time for a second caution by an overexuberant young referee, and with his side knocked out of the cup by Logroñes he may have to wait until next season to serve out the sentence. Celta's Sergio also got his marching orders in extra time for a second bookable offence.

Two more reds in the weekend's league matches, with Espanyol's Ricardo Cavas getting two yellows in a three minute period with the game at Las Palmas an hour old, the second of which was probably excessive. Deportivo's César can also consider himself unlucky to have to leave the field after being on the receiving end of a punch by Zaragoza's Yordi, the referee deciding both merited a yellow card which in the Depor defender's case was his second of the game. Only one player, Varela of Betis, reached the five yellow card threshold this week, and he will sit out next weekend's game. (15.10.01)