The frantic pace of cup competitions continued, with the federation trying to squeeze in matches for this bothersome championship during the winter break in European competions. Clubs and players have already started to complain strongly that they are not given enough time to rest, with two and even three matches every week. At the same time however nobody is prepared to accept any of the reasonable alternatives, such as the reduction of the league to 18 teams, the playing of cup ties over one leg or the pulling out of lesser competitions, as in other countries. As they say in Spain, Don Dinero is a hard taskmaster. Real Madrid are the hardest hit this season, and they now have four games in nine days with the rescheduled league match against Valladolid and the second leg cup match with Mérida to be played midweek. They wouldn't have had too much trouble even with this calendar if they had done enough in the first leg at home to Mérida last Wednesday to settle the tie as they could have played their reserves in the second leg. However they were lucky even to come away with a 1-0 victory after the second division visitors had plastered the Madrid goal in the first half without luck, hitting the woodwork three times, having a goal disallowed for a dubious offside and seeing a double penalty appeal turned down. Del Bosque decided that drastic measures were necessary at half time, and left Guti and Karembeu in the dressing room, with Redondo and young striker Zárate coming on. The substitutions stopped the rot, and just before the hour mark Zárate linked up with Meca, his team mate from Real Madrid B, to score his first goal for the A team. The return match is next Thursday. In the other matches, both Barcelona teams virtually assured their passage through to the semi-finals with four goal advantages over their second division opponents. Espanyol beat their rivals Compostela remarkably easily, with Romania's Galca scoring a hat-trick in their 5-1 victory. After opening the scoring from the penalty spot following a foul by Compostela keeper Ferro on Tamudo, he scored two more a minute either side of half time, the first of which from a long ferocious shot was a candidate for goal of the season. Earlier Velamazán scored Espanyol's second after good work by Tamudo, and Artega headed the fifth from a corner ten minutes from time. Sion got one back for the Galician side near the end, but it would appear to be academic. Espanyol are hoping to avoid city rivals FC Barcelona in the semi-finals, who eliminated them the last time they got that stage under Camacho in 1996. They visited an Osasuna side who had already eliminated three first division sides, Sevilla, cup champions Valencia and league leaders Deportivo. However the Pamplona based team made the mistake of coming out to take on Barcelona at their own open attacking game and paid the price. Two opportunist goals from Luis Enrique in the first half and two more in the second from Dani, who bent a long shot round the keeper, and Kluivert, from a pass from Rivaldo, finished them off. The downside for Barcelona was a serious injury to Sergi, who may now miss the Euro 2000 competition this summer. No goals in the all Madrid derby between Atlético de Madrid and Rayo Vallecano, which favoured the visitors. Both teams fielded their second string goalkeepers Toni and Lopetegui, but even then neither attack could make inroads. Hopefully the second leg next Wednesday will be more entertaining.