A season high nine red cards this weekend, with three for Recreativo players towards the end of the game at Almería for second bookable offences. Jesús Vázquez and Pablo Oliveira were both sent off by Clos Gómez in the last ten minutes, and Sisi picked up his second yellow card for protesting at the end after Negredo had scored for the hosts in the last minute.

Two reds on Saturday in the match between Betis and Real Madrid, Marcelo the first to go after giving away a penalty on Damià soon after the break, and Sergio García following him down the tunnel a few minutes later for a second booking. And two in the Pajaritos stadium in Soría, where Numancia's Juan Carlos Moreno was shown a late red for a foul on Osasuna's Plasil, and the wonderfully named physical trainer Zósimo San Román also was sent to the stands for protesting.

Elsewhere Espanyol's Nené got his marching orders for a second bookable offence on the stroke of half time in the local derby against Barcelona, and Sporting Gijón coach Manuel Preciado was red carded for complaining to the referee rather too loudly that Villarreal's goal should have been ruled out for a previous hand ball. (30.09.08)

PS One of Nené's yellow cards was cancelled, so he will be available for selection next weekend. (01.10.08)