Only three red cards on the
first weekend of the new year. Two of those came in the same match,
Almería's Kalu Uche getting sent off late on for using what the referee
considered to be an elbow to fend off Betis midfielder Mehmet Aurelio, and
Sergio García was also shown a straight red in injury time for a heavy
tackle on Ortíz as he advanced on goal. This was García's third
red card of the season, and he is now second in our table behind Josemi, who
was also sent for an early bath in the Nou Camp after picking up a second
booking late on.
In fact referee Velasco
Carballo made a bit of a mess of Gregorio Manzano's plans for the home game
against Real Madrid, showing a fifth yellow card of the season to Varela and
Aduríz, as well as to Barça's Márquez. All will miss next
weekend's matches, as will Carlos García (Almería), Balenziaga
(Athletic), Heitinga, Perea and Paulo Assunçao (all Atlético),
Licht and Polanski (Getafe), Duscher (Sevilla) and Marcos Senna (Villarreal).
Quite a haul for the opening day of 2009! (05.01.09) |