A right royal bunch lining up in our baddies page this week, with many of the usual suspects being hauled up before the judges once again. The names are already legend in Spain, Gato Romero, Luccin, Juanfran, Fernando Niño, Motta, Salgado, all of whom bring a shudder to the hearts of innocent children on this Halloween weekend. Well maybe we are going over the top a bit, but you know what we mean. All will in any case be sitting in the stands next weekend, with Romero, Juanfran and Salgado all due a one match ban after reaching the five yellow card barrier, together with Valcarce of Málaga and Arzu of Betis, and the other three all getting themselves sent off.

Fernando Niño in fact set something of a record this weekend when he saw the red card with less than sixty seconds on the clock after bringing down Valencia's Oliveira in the penalty area, sparking off a 0-5 defeat. Motta turned from hero to villain as Barcelona's match at Real Sociedad wore on, starting off with an excellent goal but then giving away an albeit dubious penalty and finally picking up two yellow cards in succession for not keeping his mouth shut. It was his second red card of the season, and Frank Rijkaard will be taking some time this week to explain the meaning of polite behaviour to the young man.

Celta manager Miguel Angel Lotina might want Luccin to attend that talk as well after he too was sent off for arguing, telling the referee he was mad immediately after getting a yellow card for protesting. The French midfielder was handed a two match ban by the disciplinary committee as he was not exactly a first offender. Espanyol's captain Morales was also sent off after picking up two yellow cards in the defeat against Zaragoza, a result which incidentally cost manager Javier Clemente his job.

Quite what the fanatically religious Carlos Roa has to do with this rotten bunch we don't know, but the Albacete keeper will also be sitting out the weekend's game as he was given his marching orders right at the end of the game against Valladolid after bringing down Makukula in the area. It all goes to show that even the good guys can go astray sometimes. (04.11.03)