Only one new face this season, Mateu Lahoz promoted from the second division A, whilst Lizondo Cortés and Ontanaya López going down. The plan is to reduce the number of top flight referees from 24 to 20 over the next four seasons. Mateu was in action for the first time this weekend, refereeing the match between Sevilla and Sporting Gijón. His six yellow cards was par for the course, and the only action of his which could be criticised was awarding the first of Sporting's goals to Diego Castro, when it should have been Bilic. (16.09.08)