If there was any doubt before this weekend that Pérez Lasa is a strong contender for this season's white stick award, there isn't now. Pérez moved well clear at the top of the field after dishing out six yellow cards and two direct reds in the game between Betis and Valencia. He started off with a straight red for Ayala, falling for an old trick from a young dog, Dani (see villains page for more). And then his feelings were hurt when Baraja told him he was bad, and he showed him red as well. The Valencia vice-president called him "Billy the Kid" after the game for the speed in which he drew out the cards. That was polite though compared to what Rayo's lady president Teresa Rivera called him earlier in the season.

Pérez Lasa wasn't the only one to get a tongue-lashing from managers though. Deportivo were not too happy about the penalty that López Nieto gave against Scaloni, although it didn't matter too much in the end as Kovacevic missed it. Barcelona too were upset about two penalties given by Medina Cantalejo against them in their match at Villarreal, plus a rigorous sending off of Sorín, but when their B team also had two penalties awarded to their opponents Espanyol B in their second division B derby game the following day, all the old skeletons came out. Gerard suggested that referees had it in for them after they paraded a peace banner in their last game, but some members of management put it down to "a black hand against them" following their decision to go to the local court over the ground closure. Once more the ghost of Franco is flying over the Nou Camp! . (09.04.03)