Málaga's controversial striker Darío Silva rockets in to our chart this week after his second red card of the season. The Uruguayan international with the dyed-blond hair got a second yellow card for a high tackle on an opponent near the end of his team's game with Las Palmas, leaving his side with nine players following the sending off of Miguel Angel four minutes before. The midfielder got a second booking for a silly hand ball after getting an earlier one for a foul.

Curiously the four red cards this week came in just two matches, with Sevilla and Rayo Vallecano both missing a man at the end after Fredi and then Baljic got their marching orders within three minutes of each other. Fredi had only been on the pitch for just over ten minutes when he took Ferrón out from behind, earning himself a direct red, and Baljic got a second caution for diving in the penalty area, not a clever thing to do when you have already been booked.

Twelve players will miss the midweek round of matches after picking up the fifth (or tenth) yellow card of the season. Once again the suspensions were concentrated in a few teams, with Málaga the worst hit as Romero (ten yellows) and Litos (five) will join Darío Silva and Miguel Angel in the public stands for their game at Bilbao. Las Palmas will be missing three (Angel, Orlando and Schurrer), Valencia two (Ayala (10) and Baraja) and Espanyol two (De Lucas and Ricardo Cavas). The other three are Alfredo (Osasuna), Paco (Zaragoza) and Mostovoi (Celta), who is hoping an appeal will allow him to play after being booked for diving when he appeared to have just jumped over the keeper to avoid crashing in to him.

P.S. After the disciplinary hearing, Fredi was given a two match ban and Mostovoi's appeal was rejected. . (04.02.02)