No less than ten red cards
this weekend, the second highest of the season, although six of them came in
the game between Espanyol and Betis. Pandiani was the first to go for elbowing
an opponent late in the first half, but Pérez Lima then produced three
at once in a controversial last minute penalty incident (see white stick
section), one for keeper Contreras for the foul on Tamudo, one for Edu for
protesting and for Miguel Angel, who the referee said pushed him. And as the
players were leaving the pitch there were two more, one for Arzu for insulting
Pérez, and another for the kit manager Acuña who, again according
to the referee's report, approached the official "with his hands on his
testicles" calling him names! Miguel Angel was let off on appeal, but Arzu and
Acuña got two match bans and the others one.
Two more red cards in one
match the day before as well, Atlético's Luccin getting his marching
orders for insulting Medina Cantalejo, and Eller following him down the tunnel
a few minutes later after receiving two yellow cards, both as well for
protesting. Elsewhere Levante's reserve keeper Cavallero was given two bookings
in a minute whilst on the bench, the first for arguing and the second for
refusing to turn round to show his number (!), and Racing's Rubén
appears to be about the only player sent off this weekend for footballing
reasons after picking up two bookings for hard tackles in the game at
Recreativo.
Pérez and Medina's
decisions didn't stop there though, and the ranks of Espanyol and
Atlético were further decimated after Luis García from the
former, and Gabi and Mista from the latter were all shown their fifth yellow
cards of the season. They will be joined on the sidelines this weekend by
Coloccini (Deportivo), Jankovic (Mallorca), Calvo (Nàstic) and Kovacevic
(Real Sociedad), who also were given their fifth bookings of the season in
their respective matches. (24.04.07) |