A season high eight red
cards this weekend, with last year's top "Villain" Amorebieta the first to go
for a sliding tackle on Iniesta late in the first half of the match in a rainy
San Mamés stadium. The fans rather unfairly thought that the usually
honest Iniesta had over-reacted (even though he had to receive extensive
medical treatment), and there were whistles every time he touched the ball
after that, a contrast to the applause that the World Cup winner has been
getting in other grounds this season. Later on Iniesta's team-mate David Villa
was also shown a straight red for lashing out in retaliation at Gurpegui. One
other red card on Saturday, but that was for Real Madrid's doctor for leaving
his bench and stepping in to the managers' area to insult the officials!
Mourinho's influence is even reaching the medical profession!
On Sunday Deportivo's
Colotto was shown a straight red just before half time for flattening
Almería's Piatti as he advanced on goal, and Osasuna's Lolo was shown
two yellow cards for fouls on Espanyol's exciting new youngster Alvaro
Vázquez with only a quarter of the match gone. Racing's Rosenberg was
also sent off for a second bookable offence near the end of the game against
Getafe, and later in the evening Atlético's Reyes was given his marching
orders for elbowing Zaragoza's Contini from behind off-the-ball. Goodness knows
what the Italian defender had done to Reyes to deserve that! One more red card
the following day, Málaga's Eliseu sent for a very early bath after
clashing with our old friend Marchena, who fell to the ground clutching his
head as if he had been shot. Rookie referee José Antonio Teixeira
Vitienes reported that Eliseu had head-butted the Villarreal defender, but TV
images showed that he didn't even touch him! Again the fans booed Marchena
after that, but in this case they certainly had good reason! (28.09.10)
PS. The disciplinary
committe upheld Málaga's appeal and downgraded Eliseu's red card to a
yellow, confirming that no contact had actually been made. Marchena was given
no further penalty though, even though his actions probably cost Málaga
the game. All other red cards have been penalized with a one match ban, apart
from Madrid's Dr. Hernández Yañez, who was suspended for two.
Some reports say Mou is taking a crash course in first aid just in case!
(29.09.10) |