Last season Espanyol took all the awards in the villains section, and this year they have started in the same vein, with Iván De la Peña the first player to be shown a red card. According to the referee's report, the "Little Buddha" got his marching orders for "touching his testicles" when arguing with the referee, which is considered to be a serious insult in Spain. De la Peña claims his innocence, saying that it was an involuntary gesture on a hot sweaty day, and the club is expected to appeal the two match ban which he was given as a result.

The first red card of the season though went to Atlético Madrid's new manager César Ferrando, who was sent off for his heated protests in the opening game against Málaga. He also got a two match ban for his pains. There were two more red cards on Sunday, Osasuna's Josetxo getting his for bringing a player down from behind a minute after half time, and Albacete's Viaud picking up two bookings in the second half of the match at Sevilla. Viaud should know better - he was on the point of leaving the club in the summer to take up a job as a referee in the French league!

Osasuna are already in trouble after the final day of last season, with Morales, Bakayoko and Alfredo all given four match bans after the punch up with Sevilla. Alfredo will be plying his trade in the second division and Bakayoko has been left out of Osasuna's squad, but Morales will have to sit out the first month of competition. Sevilla's Alfaro was also given a two match suspension from that game, and he misses the opening two fixtures, as does José Marí and also Barcelona's new signing Edmilson, who has a suspension carried over from his time at Olympique Lyon. (01.09.04)