Real Madrid and Barcelona were both given a helping hand by referees this weekend. Real's Sergio Ramos was very lucky that Fernández Borbolán didn't see him elbow Rayo's Diego Costa in the face in the twentieth minute of their match on Sunday, which could have cost the defender a red card and a penalty. And near the end of the game any hope of a comeback by Rayo ended when their top goalscorer Michu was sent off for what Fernández considered to be a foul from behind on Khedira, even though the player clearly got to the ball. The appeals committee overturned the decision, but the damage was already done. Later in the evening Barcelona were grateful to Pérez Lasa that he didn't award a late penalty to Atlético Madrid after Busquets appeared to handle inside the area, and the referee also pulled up Falcao and Adrián for borderline offsides. He did though rule out goals by Messi and Alexis for hand ball, the yellow card he showed to Messi for that (one of 14 in the game!) being the forward's fifth of the season. Even that didn't go down too badly in the Barça camp though as Messi will miss the home match against the struggling Sporting rather than against a more difficult opponent, and Guardiola has used the occasion to give him a well earned brief holiday prior to an intense programme of fixtures. (29.02.12)
Name | Games played | Yellow cards | Red cards | Total |
Paradas Romero | 15 | 115 | 9 | 124 |
Muñiz Fernández | 16 | 112 | 10 | 122 |
Turienzo Alvarez | 15 | 115 | 3 | 118 |
Velasco Carballo | 15 | 104 | 12 | 116 |
Fernández Borbolán | 17 | 106 | 8 | 114 |
Pérez Lasa | 15 | 97 | 1 | 107 |
Iglesias Villanueva | 16 | 99 | 8 | 107 |
Alvarez Izquierdo | 15 | 99 | 7 | 106 |
Teixeira Vitienes, F. | 18 | 98 | 8 | 106 |
Teixeira Vitienes, J.A. | 14 | 97 | 6 | 103 |