Peace and goodwill to all men this week, but there were still six players sent off and 66 yellow cards between cup and league. Cup action again midweek, with two players getting their marching orders in the seven games, Sporting's Isma at Villarreal and Iker Casillas, who saw the red card for the first time in his career for bringing down Nástic's Castillejo in the final minutes as he advanced on goal. His action kept Real Madrid in the cup, but he had to sit out the weekend league match at Mallorca as a result. As everyone knows by now, the eighth match didn't take place as Hospitalet refused to play their first leg tie against Deportivo. They were fined two million Pesetas and banned from next year's competition, and their controversial president Miguel García has taken legal action to have the quarter final draw declared void. Some chance!

The disciplinary committee also banned Téllez for two matches rather than one for his elbow last week as he has done that sort of thing before. Four more reds in the league at the weekend, starting with Málaga's Kiki Musampa, who according to the referee insulted him in their match at Valencia. Málaga's manager Joaquín Peiró says it was a case of mistaken identity, and given that the Dutch midfielder has only spent a couple of seasons in Spain, he probably didn't even know how to say what was attributed to him. Another direct red card for Villarreal's Galván, who brought down Zaragoza's Vellisca from behind, and Osasuna's Contreras and Celta's Silvinho were sent off for second bookable offences late in their respective games. Silvinho got two yellow cards in a minute in injury time, the second for time wasting as he set up a corner and then walked away to let someone else take it, a silly move when you already have one booking.

Valladolid's Peña was the first man to pick up ten yellow cards in the league, and he sits out the next game having thereby completed the second cycle of five. Those completing the first cycle include Peña's teammate Marcos, plus Oscar Vales (Bilbao), Benjamín (Betis), Paco Soler (Mallorca), Luiz Alberto (Real Sociedad), Javi Venta (Tenerife) and Albelda (Valencia). Málaga's Gato Romero may also be in trouble if Valencia put forward video evidence of their match. The Uruguayan laid out Ayala with a blow to the jaw which Mike Tyson would have been proud of, and the Argentine defender was stretchered off the pitch unconscious. (24.12.01)