One red card in the midweek cup quarter finals, Espanyol's Jarque getting sent off for a second bookable offence to end a spirited come-back in the Nou Camp. Otherwise though a quite round of games for referees despite the importance of the matches.

Not so at the weekend though, where a season high eleven red cards were produced in all. Three of them came in the match between Osasuna and Mallorca, where Nekounam was sent off late on for the locals for a second bookable offence, and David Navarro (hard tackle) and Aouate (handling outside of the area) were both red carded before that. Being straight reds the two Mallorca players will miss the midweek semi-final tie against Barcelona, who themselves had Márquez and Piqué sent off near the end of the match at Racing. The two defenders will be eligible for the cup but not next weekend's league game as their offence was a second yellow card.

Three more of the red cards were for Sporting Gijón against Sevilla, although only one was for a player, Canella getting plenty of time to use the bath before his colleagues after a bad tackle on Diego Capel before the interval. Manolo Preciado and his assistant were both sent to the stands in the second half for protesting, Preciado picking up a two match ban as it was his second time this season.

Elsewhere Espanyol keeper Kameni was sent off after giving away a last minute penalty against Recreativo, and Real Madrid and Betis were both left with ten men in their respective matches after Gago and Juande were dismissed for second bookable offences. All of them will be joined on the sidelines by six players who reached the five yellow card threshold, including Dani Alves (Barcelona), Apoño (Málaga), Nagore and Goitia (Numancia), Munitis (Racing) and Camacho (Sporting). (03.02.09)

PS With Piqué and Márquez suspended, Barcelona will breathe a sigh of relief after Alves was let off his fifth yellow card by the appeals committee.