The disciplinary committee didn't rest during the two week lay-off, spending the time clearing up some of the back-log of cases. Four match bans were dished out to Eto'o and Denilson for their sendings off in the last games before Christmas, the former for his tackle on Motta and the latter for his off the ball foul on Izquierdo. Eto'o's ban was increased as he had already been banned a few months ago for a similar incident, and Denilson's because he insulted the referee on his way off the pitch, and also because he stepped back on it later on, which merited a posterior yellow card which was the fifth of the current cycle. Mallorca's Novo was given a two match ban, and Joaquín's three match suspension was reduced to two and then put on hold after an appeal to the CEDD. As for ground closures, Sevilla have now started their four match ban after all appeals ran out, but Barcelona still have an appeal to the CEDD pending for their two match suspension, and could drag it out a couple more weeks or so before they have to serve it out.

The new year started with a bang (a crash and a thump), as the Sevilla players blotted their copybooks once again in their midweek match against Real Madrid. Javi Navarro was caught by the linesman stamping on Ronaldo and got himself sent off, and although Pablo Alfaro had got away with a similar incident on Michel Salgado a minute before, the disciplinary committee have opened an investigation on video evidence (actually most of them were probably at the match) which could result in a ban for the good doctor who has had a record number of red cards in his lengthy career. The fact that Salgado was carried off on a stretcher and played no further part in the game will surely go against him, even though the full back had recovered enough to play three days later.

And so to the weekend, where things were quite a bit calmer. Three players were sent off, including Recreativo's new signing from Paraguay, Zelaya, who earned himself a first red card after less than an hour playing in Spain, tripping Barcelona's Kluivert in the area and giving away a penalty into the bargain. Hard-up Recre must be wondering what they have let themselves in for. Valencia's Pablo Aimar picked up two yellow cards in a five minute period against Real Madrid, and his sending-off was the turning point of their game against Real Madrid, and Gato Romero also got his first red card of the season after getting booked twice against Real Sociedad.

Romero joins a group of four players tied at the top of the villains chart, and it already looks as if this year's prize will come from that group this year. The other three are the aforementioned Eto'o, who now has clocked up nine days of suspensions this season, plus Unai and Varela, both of whom picked up yellow cards this weekend. Some illustrious names too in the list of players reaching the five card ban threshold, including Hierro (Real Madrid), Frank De Boer (Barcelona), Albelda (Valencia), Carreras (Atlético Madrid) and Camacho (Recreativo). Disciplinary committee (not) permitting, all will miss next weekend's matches. (06.01.03)