Only one red card from outfield play this weekend, Zaragoza keeper Doblas getting his marching orders for handling outside of the area midway through the second half of the match at Mallorca. Almería's non-playing substitute Pellerano was also shown a red card though for insulting the officials after the final whistle at Sporting Gijón, and his club delegate was sent to the stands for protesting near the end of the game. Both received two match bans, but the biggest suspension was for the club doctor, who was spotted by the referee pouring water from a bottle on to the head of a linesman as players were leaving the field! He will be out for three games.

With another league "clásico" coming up (not to mention a cup final between the two sides and a possible meeting in the Champions League), statisticians have been checking the card count at Barcelona and Real Madrid. Neither team wants to be without their star players, and those close to suspension may well be "asked" to pick up a booking and clear their account before the big match. This weekend Xabi Alonso conveniently collected his tenth yellow card of the season, meaning he will have to sit out the next game against Sporting, and Xavi was shown his fifth (although Guardiola will be less than happy that he will therefore miss the game at Villarreal). Don't be surprised though if there are cautions next weekend for Valdés, Busquets, Mascherano, Granero and some say Messi (although according to our records he has only been booked three times and not four?). As well as the two Xav(b)is, also out for the next round of games will be Agüero (Atlético), Xavi Torres (Levante), De Guzmán (Mallorca) and Joaquín (Valencia), all of whom picked up their fifth yellow cards of the season last weekend. (24.03.11)