Betis 2 - Espanyol 5

Betis: Prats; Crosa, Karhan, Filipescu, Rivas; Benjamín, Merino, Ito, Denilson; Finidi, Alfonso. 4-4-2.
Espanyol: Cavallero; Cristóbal, Lopo, Pochettino, Navas; Sergio, Velamazán, Galca, Roger, Arteaga; Benítez. 4-5-1.

A scandalous result in Sevilla, and even more so for the fact that Betis were leading Espanyol 2-0 with only 22 minutes remaining, before Espanyol came back with five goals, including two penalties, with two Betis players being sent off in the process. Something had to give: Betis were undefeated at home this season, and Espanyol had won the last five seasons in a row at Betis. The Catalans had however entered into a mini-crisis, having gone seven games without a victory. Brindisi made six changes from the team that played last week, with Cavallero returning in goal and Galca and Benítez coming back into the side. Alfonso returned up front for Betis in place of Romero, with Denilson dropping back to the left wing. The ex Real Madrid striker celebrated his return to the side scoring the first two goals of the match, opening his account after a quarter of an hour beating the offside trap to take the ball round Cavallero, and adding the second in the 66th minute after a dribble by Denilson, 'bicycle' move included, had left him with the easy task of finishing off the move. Then the wheels fell off. Two minutes after the second goal Arteaga's cross from the right was turned in by Tamudo, who had replaced the injured Pochettino shortly before half time, and ten minutes later Espanyol were ahead with another two goals in quick succession. Firstly Velamazán leapt on a rebound from the Betis defence to beat Prats, and then referee Brito Arceo awarded a penalty after Tamudo was brought down by Filipescu, seemingly outside of the area. Romanian midfielder Galca, being watched by scouts from England and Italy, stepped up coolly to put his team in front for the first time in the match. In the first minute of injury time all hell broke loose as Brito awarded Espanyol another penalty, this time for a foul by young defender Rivas, who was sent off into the bargain. Substitute De Lucas scored from the spot kick, and in the ensuing argie-bargie Denilson demonstrated how well he has picked up Spanish by insulting the referee so proficiently that he too received his marching orders. Galca added a few more million to his asking price by scoring from a free kick with virtually the last kick of the match. Coins rained down on the match officials after the game, and an injury to a linesman may well result in their ground being closed for a match or two, a fate which already befell city rivals Sevilla recently. With teams in midtable locked so closely together on points, Espanyol leap up to 11th, with Betis dropping to 8th.

Valencia 2 - Sevilla 0

Valencia: Palop; Angloma, Djukic, Pellegrino, Carboni; Farinós, Mendieta, Gerard, Angulo; Claudio López, Juan Sánchez. 4-4-2.
Sevilla: Valencia; Prieto, Hibic, Tabaré; Paco Mije, Angel, Víctor, Nando; Tsartas; Otero, Loren. 3-4-1-2.

Valencia prepared for their champions league match with Manchester United with an easy victory against a poor Sevilla side. With Kily González suspended, Héctor Cúper brought in the versatile Angulo in midfield, although he was forced to replace him with Albelda after 10 minutes due to an injury. Marcos Alonso was forced to make several changes with Quevedo, Marchena and Francisco suspended after last week's fiasco against Málaga, and in the end brought in five new faces, including youngsters Víctor and Paco Mije in midfield and Otero and Loren up front. Plus ça change, plus ça reste parreil (sorry, my French is as bad as my Latin). The three central defenders could do nothing to stop the vertically challenged (i.e. small) Juan Sánchez from heading the first goal from a corner in the sixth minute, and Valencia controlled the game from then on. The game had to be temporarily suspended for half an hour in the middle of the first half as the floodlights went out, and despite worrying fires breaking out around the lights the crowd sat it out. The Sevilla players probably didn't notice, as they ran around like headless chickens looking for a system. With 20 minutes to go, Piojo López wrapped things up, scoring from Angloma's cross. In the end a comfortable victory which takes Valencia safely up to 10th place in the league. The only worry they have now is their midweek match, with Angulo's injury adding to the forced absence of Gerard and Albelda through suspension. Sevilla sink further down, and with many close rivals winning, they are now three points adrift at the bottom. Beaten in the cup by second division Osasuna midweek, Marcos Alonso cannot have much time left.