After a relatively quiet round of cup games (Paradas Romero's 14 yellow cards in the Espanyol - Getafe tie permitting), it was a rough and tumble weekend for referees. Ramírez Domínguez started us off disallowing a perfectly good equaliser by Racing's Canales in the Bernabeu, a decision which directly influenced the top of the table (Real Madrid's 1-0 win took them a point above Barcelona). Teixeira Vitienes failed to even book Athletic's Amorebieta when he kicked Messi in the face (Messi's fault for being so small we suppose!), and Rubinós Pérez fell for a clear dive from Zaragoza's Lafita at Málaga, the resulting penalty setting off a blood-bath which saw two red cards and a lot of flying handbags! Velasco Carballo also had some problems at Osasuna, his decisions causing a member of the crowd to throw his sandwich at a linesman! (24.11.09)