Six red cards in the second weekend of the league, curiously concentrated in three matches. The biggest name in the referees' books this weekend was no doubt Atlético's Fernando Torres, who got his marching orders for repeatedly telling World Cup referee Medina Cantalejo he had no shame after he had already been booked for protesting. The striker was not happy though that he had been penalized for a foul on Cañizares when it appeared that the veteran keeper had just slipped. Valencia's Moretti was already in the bath after a foul on Valera.

Zaragoza's Ponzio suffered a similar fate to Fernando Torres, although his insult to the referee (or rather to his mother) was stronger than that of the Atlético striker. Later in that match Espanyol's Edu Costa was the second man to see red after a second bookable offence. And Levante had two men sent off in their match against Real Madrid, Dehú for a hard tackle on Van Nistelrooy (which the ex Man U man milked - more at home in Spain?), and Camacho after picking up a second booking for giving away a soft penalty on Van the Man. (12.09.06)

PS. Fernando Torres's red card was downgraded to yellow by the appeals committee, and he almost got off a one match ban as the committee forgot that he had already been booked earlier! It was only a couple of hours after the meeting ended that somebody realized, and informed Atlético that he would in fact have to sit out the next match!