Veteran referee Eduardo Iturralde González has unexpectedly decided to call it a day after falling out with the referees' association over what was in the end a minor administrative issue. Iturralde, (who was due to retire this summer anyway after reaching the maximum age limit), was asked to produce a doctor's note ("alta médica") saying he was fit enough to referee again after abandoning the pitch at half time last week due to an injury. Those of you who have experience of the dark labyrinths of Spanish labour law will know that to do this you have had to register the "baja médica" beforehand, confirming you were temporarily unfit for work, and as Iturralde didn't do this he said his conscience would not allow him to "falsify" the required document (welcome to Spain!). It is not clear whether there was a hidden agenda behind all that (he is rumoured to be joining Getafe as "refereeing advisor"), but it is a shame to lose him under such circumstances. Don Eduardo holds all the refereeing records, 291 games, 1,647 yellow cards, 118 red cards and 104 penalties since he made his debut in the match between Espanyol and Salamanca in September 1995. We wish him all the best! (20.03.12)
Name | Games played | Yellow cards | Red cards | Total |
Velasco Carballo | 18 | 129 | 15 | 144 |
Paradas Romero | 16 | 122 | 9 | 131 |
Muñiz Fernández | 17 | 117 | 11 | 128 |
Estrada Fernández | 19 | 119 | 7 | 126 |
Turienzo Alvarez | 16 | 120 | 4 | 124 |
Alvarez Izquierdo | 17 | 116 | 8 | 124 |
Fernández Borbolán | 18 | 114 | 8 | 122 |
Teixeira Vitienes, J.A. | 16 | 113 | 8 | 121 |
Iturralde González | 14,5 | 109 | 9 | 118 |
Iglesias Villanueva | 17 | 105 | 8 | 113 |