What a couple of days! On a weekend designated "the day of the referee", no less than 30 players and staff from first division clubs received one match bans which will keep them out of the next round of matches, including five each from Alavés and Osasuna.

OK, some of the 12 red cards were obvious, Cádiz defender Varela punching a last minute Julen Guerrero corner off the line as it was going in, and Sevilla's Aitor Ocio diving to save another shot against Alavés (what was he thinking of - Palop had the ball well covered!). In the same matches, Bilbao's Amorebieta didn't last more than 17 minutes before picking up two yellow cards, and Alavés players Bodipo and then Juanito were also given their marching orders late on for straight reds, the former for a flying elbow and the latter for a hard tackle.

Barcelona also lost two players, Edmilson somewhat unfortunate to be given a second yellow and a penalty against when Milosevic conveniently fell over his outstretched leg, but Motta leaving the referee with no choice after a crunching tackle on Webó near the end of the game at Osasuna. Zaragoza's Alvaro moves to the top of our chart after he too was sent for an early bath after catching an opponent with an elbow, his first red card of the season. And Espanyol's Armando Sá picked up his second sending off after bringing down Celta's De Ridder as he advanced on goal in the first half of their match.

A red card as well for Atlético's Gabi, who picked up a second booking near the end of the game with Racing Santander. Prior to that though, Racing coach Manolo Preciado and his team doctor were both told to leave the dugout after insulting the officials - so much for goodwill to all men in black this weekend!

But the red cards were only half of the story as no less than 18 players reached the next five yellow card threshold, including Orbaiz (Athletic Bilbao), Sergio (Celta), Puñal (Osasuna) and Gabi Milito (Zaragoza), all of whom received their tenth bookings. Four more Osasuna players, Ricardo, Delporte, Moha and Raúl García, picked up their fifth yellow cards, as did three from Alavés, Coromina, Carpintero and Sarriegi. Other big names include Petrov (Atlético), Riquelme (Villarreal), Cañizares (Valencia), Diego Tristán (Deportivo), Melli (Betis), Contreras (Celta) and Edu Costa (Espanyol). Hardly anyone left to make the tunnels to applaud referees on to the pitch again next weekend! (14.03.06)