Although it is usually rugged defenders who fill these pages, La Liga also has it's share of hot-headed strikers. Sevilla's Luis Fabiano is one of those, and he was shown his second red card of the season late in the match against Barcelona for shrugging off Busquets with a high elbow in an off-the-ball incident. It was the linesman who spotted it (as well as 5,000,000 people watching the action replay on television!), and Sevilla's delegate is to be applauded for running on to the pitch, putting his hand over the forwards mouth and physically dragging him away as he approached the official ready to unleash a string of invectives, if not something more physical!

Luis Fabiano was not the only striker in trouble though, Almería's Negredo picking up his second straight red of the season after catching Deportivo's Lopo with a flying elbow early in the second half of their match. Valencia's Marchena finally got his come-uppance after provoking the sending off of more than one player this season with his antics, the Spanish international defender seeing red for bringing down Betis striker Sergio García from behind in the area. Luckily for him his side fought back with ten men to win.

Elsewhere Racing's César Navas was shown a straight red card for a foul on Paulo Assunçao in the first half of the match against Atlético, probably contributing to the 4-1 defeat. Athletic Bilbao's young defender Etxeitia was sent off for a second bookable offence near the end of the game against Numancia, and Mallorca's utility man was shown a red card by referee Alvarez Izquierdo for protesting (see white stick section for why!). They will be joined on the sidelines by four players who picked up their fifth bookings of the season, Eto'o (Barcelona), Josemi (Mallorca), and Luis García and Moisés Hurtado (Espanyol), who will both not be available for their new coach Mané next weekend. (02.12.08)