If you think our top flight referees have it tough, spare a thought for poor old Chouciño Landeira, who officiates in the regional divisions in Galicia. At half time in the game between Vizoño and Laracha, he was approached by a person brandishing a pistol! "This is for you, no joke!", he was told. The game was stopped until police finally arrived an hour later, but by then the individual had gone.

Iturralde González didn't quite have those problems, but he was in the thick of the action in Saturday night's game between Real Madrid and Málaga. No doubt the sending off of Sergio Ramos was correct, as pictures later showed he did appear to stamp on Eliseu (whether deliberate or not), but one or two of the three penalty decisions were questionable, especially the last one. Nobody threatened to shoot him though! (11.11.08)