The derby match between Betis and Sevilla was classified as high risk by local police, and Betis president Don Manuel Ruíz de Lopera decided to only allow home side season ticket holders in to the ground to avoid the type of crowd trouble they had experienced in the past. Local fans will tell you that one Sevilla fan did manage to get in to the ground though, and he was in charge of proceedings in the middle of the park. Referee Pérez Pérez turned down no less than three penalty appeals from the home side players, a blatant hand ball from Redondo from Denilson's free kick, and fouls by Javi Navarro on Mingo and then Denilson either side of half time. Pérez even gave a yellow card to the Brazilian winger for diving, which acceptedly he quite often does, but this time was probably not guilty of.

Strangely our man in black did not caution Sevilla substitute Antoñito when he blasted the ball high into the stands near the end of the game, causing a near riot from the opposing players and fans. That was in stark contrast to the performance of Moreno Delgado, who dished out second bookings and consequently red cards to Luis García and Darío Silva for much less serious offences of the same ilk (see villains section for more details). But that's the luck of the draw in Spain. (04.03.03)