The two-leg Spanish Super Cup between the two Madrid sides was played off before the regular season began, with Atlético running out 2-1 winners on aggregate. As always it was a hot blooded affair, and although the first leg passed off without too many incidents, the second leg proved a bit too much for Atleti coach Cholo Simeone, who got himself sent off for protesting too much about a delay in letting a blood-stained Juanfran back on to the pitch in time for a corner to be taken. Under new rules the referee was (apparently) right, but Don Diego lost it completely after that, slapping the fourth official on the back of the neck, applauding ironically and then refusing to leave the stands when spotted there later on. All of that cost him an eight match ban, four of which (for the slap) to be served out in the league, and four to be served out if and when his team make it to the Super Cup again. Simeone should know better, already having to sit out the opening league game of the season for accumulation of yellow cards last year, but hey, when that red mist descends… One other red card as well in that second leg, Modric picking up a second booking late on. Again the one match ban only applies to future Super Cups.

A feisty start to the league as well this season, with six red cards on the opening weekend. Two of those came in the very first match on Saturday, Málaga’s Duda and Antunes both being shown straight reds late on, the first for a retaliatory push on Athletic’s Muniain, and the second for a late tackle on Guillermo. And in the second game there was another sending off, this time for Valencia’s new signing Rodrigo De Paul, who lashed out with an elbow at Sevilla’s Aleix Vidal just a minute after coming on to make his debut! Vidal was also booked in the incident, and he had to leave the pitch with a bloody nose. It didn’t end there either, as later in the evening Granada’s assistant coach Luciano Martín was sent to the dressing room for protesting, and Espanyol’s Arbilla got his marching orders after picking up two yellow cards in the first half hour of the game at Almería. Things did get a bit quieter after that, but Barcelona’s Javier “Jefecito” Mascherano took one for the side, earning himself a red card for bringing down Elche’s Rodrigues as he advanced on goal just before the break. De Paul was given a four match suspension and Duda and Martín two, with the others just having to sit out next weekend’s games. (27.08.14)

(* suspension pending disciplinary meeting decision)

Villains Yellow cards Red cards (straight) Games banned Total points
De Paul (Valencia) 0 1 (1) 4* 6
Duda (Málaga) 0 1 (1) 2* 4
Arbilla (Espanyol) 2 1 1* 4
Modric (Real Madrid) 2 1 1 4
Mascherano (Barcelona) 0 1 (1) 1* 3
Antunes (Málaga) 0 1 (1) 1* 3
Raúl García (Atlético) 2 0 0 2
Koke (Atlético) 2 0 0 2
Mandzukic (Atlético) 2 0 0 2
Mario Suárez (Atlético) 2 0 0 2
Xabi Alonso (Real Madrid) 2 0 0 2
Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid) 2 0 0 2