There is a saying in Spain that, if things are going against you and you are running a circus, even the dwarves will grow tall (ok, so it loses a lot in the translation!). That certainly seems to happen to the sides who are struggling, and Cádiz and Espanyol have both been unlucky with refereeing decisions in the last few games.

Cádiz found themselves a man short this week (not a reference to dwarves!), when Medina was given a second booking and sent off by referee Turienzo Alvarez for kicking the ball away from the hands of Osasuna's Ricardo as he was bouncing it. The same move though has been considered legal in other games (most famously the year 2000 cup final between Espanyol and Atlético when Tamudo got the winner doing just that), and the appeals committee actually cancelled the booking. They couldn't overturn the result though.

Espanyol were also indignant about referee Rubinos Pérez's performance after he ruled out an opening strike by Corominas against Villarreal for a non existent offside, but then allowed a goal by Tacchinardi to stand at the other end despite the fact that three attackers were in an offside position. They too went on to lose. (21.02.06)