For the second week in a row referees produced seven red cards, obviously getting the stocks in before Christmas! Carmona Méndez had not shown any before this weekend, but he certainly made up for it on Sunday, forgetting about the usual two yellows route and dishing out three direct reds. Two were for Espanyol defenders Domoraud and David García, and with Soldevilla also getting a fifth yellow of the season in the same game their back four will have a new look next weekend. Pérez Pérez was also card-hungry in the match between Celta and Alavés, showing nine yellows, one red and also awarding two penalties.

Talking of penalties, there were different criteria this weekend regarding handling the ball in the area. Muñiz Fernández awarded a penalty to Osasuna when Iván Rosado's shot hit Larrazábal on the arm at close range, but Esquinas Torres didn't spot Jauregi's foul at a vital point in the game between Sevilla and Real Sociedad, and Iturralde González let Recreativo's Loren off the hook against Deportivo. The results of all of these games may have been different if the decisions had gone the other way, but that's football we suppose. (11.12.02)