Five red cards this weekend, including one straight red each for Málaga's Mtiglia and Valladolid's Villar for giving away penalties. Villar's expulsion left his team without a keeper, and Medunjanin had to goal in goal for the spot kick. Almería's Juanma Ortíz was also sent off after giving away another penalty, this time for a second bookable offence after he handled in the area against Osasuna. Elsewhere two rash tackles by Zigic left Valencia with ten men before the break, and Racing's Oriol was also given his marching orders for a second bookable offence. Racing's assistant coach Castaños was red-carded as well for disobeying the referee after giving out orders whilst his boss Portugal was also in the technical zone.

Another twelve players will also be suspended next weekend for accumulation of yellow cards, including Puñal (Osasuna), Sergio Ramos and Xabi Alonso (Real Madrid) and Pelé (Valladolid) with ten bookings, and Perea (Atlético), Dani Alves (Barcelona), Celestini (Getafe), Juanfran (Osasuna), Alfaro (Tenerife), Alexis (Valencia) and Nauzet (Valladolid) with five. It was curious to see in particular that Ramos, Alonso and Alves will all miss the next match and therefore be free for the big derby game. TV cameras in fact picked up Guardiola telling Alves to waste time in a throw-in, and although Pellegrini was more discreet, he probably had a hand in his players' yellow cards as well. The Federation said they will be looking in to the matter with a view to other types of punishment for "tactical" bookings such as these. (30.03.10)