Piqué and Boateng shoot to the top of our chart after they were both sent off for second bookable offences in the game between Getafe and Barcelona. Piqué was fishing for one yellow card so that he could complete the five card cycle and be out of danger for the big game against Real Madrid, but a double yellow does not compute to that total. He will therefore still be on four bookings when he returns from his one match ban to face Almería one week before the "clasico", and Guardiola will have to decide whether to risk him or not for that game. Two other red cards at the weekend, Athletic's Aurtenetxe for two bookings against Villarreal, and Valencia's Topal for a hard tackle on Sevilla's Cáceres. The defender appeared to be in great pain, but as soon as Topal was shown the red he miraculously jumped to his feet and ran about like a two year old. Must be holy water on the sponge! Elsewhere two players did reach the five yellow card threshold, Athletic's Gurpegui and Levante's Del Horno, and both will miss next weekend's games. (10.11.10)

PS Gurpegui was let off his booking by the appeals committee, so his one match ban was cancelled. (11.11.10)