Three players sent off this weekend, two of which came in the same match between Celta and Racing Santander. Those familiar with rugby expressions will know the term "hospital pass", where a player puts his team mate in mortal danger by giving him the ball just when three 20-stone forwards are crashing down on him. Something similar happened here, with Celta substitute Jesuli trying a long back pass soon after coming on. Bodipo intercepted, and poor old Cavallero had no option but to bring him down. Penalty and red card. Racing were left with ten men soon afterwards though when ex Palamos right back Coromina picked up a second booking, and there could have been a third red card had the game not finished, an angry Juanfran telling the referee to die after the match. The left back had already picked up one yellow, and the disciplinary committee gave him another after reading the referee's report.

The other red card came at Espanyol, where Pablo García got his marching orders in a bad tempered game for tackling Iván De la Peña from behind. Two players, Chengue Morales and Torricelli, both got booked for fighting in the tunnel at half time, and Gancedo upset the crowd trying a shot at goal with keeper Toni lying injured. Earlier in the week the disciplinary committee had handed out two match bans to two arch-villains, Pablo Alfaro and Darío Silva after they were sent off the week before. And Darío almost got himself a yellow card this weekend even though he wasn't playing, coming on to the pitch after the match to insult the referee. The committee let him off this time though.

Consternation in Bilbao though, where Gurpegui was finally handed a two year ban for failing a drugs test earlier in the season. Athletic are taking the case as far as they can, as they say they have proof that his body generates Nandrolone by itself. Players all came out wearing his number 28 shirt this weekend in support. Finally several players suspended again for the next round of matches, with Frank De Boer (Barça), Mauro Silva (Deportivo) and Romero (Málaga) all reaching the ten card threshold, and Otero (Atlético), Puyol (Barça), Fernando Niño (Mallorca), Gancedo (Osasuna), Munitis (Racing), Mora (Rayo), Aranzábal (Real Sociedad), Xisco (Recreativo) and Revelleire (Valencia) all on five. (13.05.03)