Quite a weekend for our men in black, with several controversial decisions which could have an influence on both ends of the table come the end of the season. The headlines on both days were taken up by the "hands of god", with Figo clearly deflecting a Roberto Carlos free kick into the net with his forearm on Saturday and Mallorca's Jesús Perera punching Delibasic's cross into the net on Sunday. Was Figo's intervention deliberate or not? Referee Ramírez Domínguez obviously didn't think so (assuming he saw it), and with the speed that Roberto Carlos hits the ball at, it is difficult to do much more than blink. The goal meant three points for Madrid though, and keeps them a point clear at the top.

There was no excuse however for failing to see Perera's action other than congenital blindness, and Puentes Leira and his linesmen should be signing up for Braille lessons as soon as possible. The referee further upset visitors Real Sociedad disallowing a Kovacevic goal for a dubious offside which would have put them two goals up, and Perera's strike saved a point in the end for the Balearic Islanders which enabled them to keep three points clear of the drop zone.

Elsewhere Valladolid felt themselves unlucky not to salvage a draw at Atlético Madrid when Oscar's equaliser was incorrectly ruled out by Pérez Lasa for offside. Barcelona too complained when Oleguer's goal was ruled out by Megía Davila for the same reason, whereas it was quite the opposite at Sevilla where Antoñito's goal from an offside position was allowed to stand against Espanyol. And Celta were let off the hook twice by Esquinas Torres when defenders pulled down Athletic Bilbao players in the box. Important decisions which will no doubt be remembered when the gongs and dongs are handed out at the end of the season. (06.04.04)