Any doubt about who is going to win our white stick award dissipated this weekend when González Vázquez produced no less than 14 yellow cards and two reds in the game between Racing and Osasuna. If he wants to repeat his top spot of the last two years, Megía Dávila will have to produce the performance of his lifetime this weekend and then hope that a mysterious disease strikes down all the other referees midweek so that he will be designated for the two or three game which are taking place later on. Not a lot of chance of that happening though??

Spare a thought as well for Mejuto González, who missed out on a World Cup spot after one of his linesmen failed a fitness test due to illness. Mejuto was recently named the second best referee in the world, and is one of Spain's more moderate officials. His place has been taken by Medina Cantalejo, who has already featured in our pages on more than one occasion (e.g. week 31, Barça v Real Madrid), and who is more officious than his colleague. All a plot to liven up the World Cup? (09.05.06)