Not a lot to comment on regarding the referees' performances this week. Espanyol duly made a formal protest about Turienzo Alvarez after last Sunday and were told to get lost, with the Spanish football federation issuing a bulletin backing the referee's decisions and wishing that some people would understand the rules of the game better. Consequently poor old Megia Dávila came out to howls and whistles at Montjuic having not done anything wrong. Probably because of that many officials were reluctant to give anything too controversial, and several penalty appeals were turned down, the most notable being a hand ball in the area by Angel and a trip by Frank De Boer in the game between Las Palmas and Barcelona (López Nieto), and one for each side as well in the match between Deportivo and Real Sociedad (Daudén Ibáñez).

Rodríguez Santiago ruled out a goal by Figo after a long discussion with his linesman (that, pointed out the Federation, is what they are there for), and Pérez Burrull disallowed one by Zaragoza's Yordi, also for offside. He also more or less evened things out, ignoring a penalty appeal by Valladolid's Tote and then turning a blind eye as Cuauhtèmoc started the move for their second goal from an offside position. His namesake Pérez Pérez put in a good interpretation of a World Wrestling Federation referee, turning to talk to an offender while Málaga and Osasuna players beat hell out of each other behind his back. Probably the only really bad decision of the day though was by Undiano Mallenco (or more correctly his linesman), who failed to note that the ball had gone out when Denilson crossed it. Hernández should have never taken the law in to his own hands (see villains section), but if that play had happened at the other end the Betis fans would have surely rioted and we would be talking big casualties. Rayo's president Teresa Rivero was certainly not a happy bunny at the end of the game. (19.11.01)