Who said Spanish referees were going soft! Any doubts anyone might have had were well and truly scotched after "los hombres en negro" produced a record 13 red cards and 73 yellows in the ten league matches this weekend. Fernández Borbolán produced three reds in the match between Mallorca and Atlético, and Lizondo Cortés whipped out two for Real Sociedad players at Sevilla. But nobody could touch two times white stick winner Megía Dávila, who even topped his 15 yellow and two reds from a fortnight ago with nine yellows and five reds.

The league record for sendings off was set by González Vázquez two seasons ago with six in the game between Barcelona and Espanyol. But Megia was only one short, and has now produced a sum total of 106 red cards in his ten year career, just two behind the record holder, veteran Daudén Ibáñez. The nine yellow cards does take Megia past Daudén in that category though, and his 1,115 has only been bettered by the now retired López Nieto, who hung up his whistle with 1,172 bookings and 94 sendings off to his name. A legend in his own lifetime! (20.12.05)