No Christmas cheer this year from referees, with no less than eight red cards being flashed in the ten games, the highest total of the season. Two of those came at the same time though, Espanyol's Raúl Tamudo and Oscar Serrano both getting sent off late in the first half of their match at Valencia for insulting the referee (see our white stick section for more on that one). Tamudo was later given a two match ban and Serrano one, pending appeal.

Frustration at losing badly was the probable reason for three of the red cards, Deportivo's Scaloni (direct red), Málaga's Gerardo (two yellows) and Mallorca's Poli (also two yellows) all getting their marching orders towards the end of their respective games. Villarreal's Arruabarrena became the first player to be sent off twice this season (coaches Aguirre, Schuster and Ruíz all got there before him), and Betis defender Juanito was also sent for an early bath for a second bookable offence in his side's win against Atlético. And the last red card was for Sevilla's medical man Carvajal, who was warned by Pérez Lasa for protesting too excitedly and was then sent off, in the words of the referee, for bursting into mocking laughter when told off by the official. Talking of coaches and the like, Schuster was given a two match ban for his second red of the season at the weekend, and Alcaraz was suspended for one game as well, as expected (see last week's report).

No less than seven players will be able to take a few days extra rest during the winter break after picking up their fifth bookings of the season, including Yeste (Athletic Bilbao), Belletti and Van Bronckhorst (Barcelona), Romero (Málaga), Moratón (Racing) and Toledo (Zaragoza), as well as Michel Salgado and Samuel from Real Madrid. Their situation is quite odd, as both picked up bookings during the unfinished match against Real Sociedad which will not count until the last few minutes are played out on 5th January. Including that, this was actually Salgado's sixth caution, but he will be allowed to play in that match and will miss the game at the weekend against Atlético. Samuel officially has four bookings, but once the last seven minutes are over the fifth will count and he too will be absent. Quite clear really! (24.12.04)