It was like putting up with nine hours of Jacqui Smith, only to be rewarded by seeing her being blasted into space, Emperor Ming style.
The first half of the clash against Getafe at the Bernabeu was awful. Dire. Possibly the worst since the last league game at Real MadridâÂÂs home.
The second saw the Bernabeu rocking and swaying like Maniche in a tree house and brought back memories of the famous 4-3 win against Espanyol two seasons ago - a match where a certain Gonzalo HiguaÃÂn first performed his championship-saving heroics and Fabio Capello came dangerously close to expressing an emotion aside from strop and grump.
Gonzo rescues Real... for a change
Real Madrid went into the break in TuesdayâÂÂs game drawing 1-1, after a thoroughly undeserved late first-half strike from the Argentine striker levelled the score in a match that a rubbish Roberto Soldado should have finished off, many times over.
But then Getafe continued to be a thorn in MadridâÂÂs side with a breakaway effort that AlbÃÂn buried with some aplomb. Whatever that means. With the Bernabeu feeling that their title toast had been well and truly burned, Guti equalised with a thumping free-kick.
Minutes later, Pepe brought down Javier Casquero in the Madrid box and proceeded to go Goodfellas on his Getafe backside by kicking lumps out of the midfielder.
The refereeâÂÂs report notes that he proceeded to yell insults at the match officials as he was dragged off the pitch, only to reappear to celebrate HiguaÃÂnâÂÂs dramatic winner.
âÂÂI know that I made a mistake and must be punished,â admitted the blubbing Portuguese defender after the game. âÂÂHe should be banned for 10 games,â stormed Angel Torres, the unforgiving Getafe president.
Casquero, perhaps still suffering from concussion, decided to chip Casillas for the subsequent penalty. It didnâÂÂt work. And with seconds on the clock, HiguaÃÂn charged into the opposition box to blast the ball past the excellent Stojkovic in the Getafe goal. Cue bedlam.
And cue an uncharacteristically industrious La Liga Loca heading to the Bernabeu backrooms armed with stun gun to snare the Dutch duet of Klaas-Jan Huntelaar and the returning Royston Drenthe.
âÂÂI couldnâÂÂt believe it!â gushed a very hyper (for the Dutchman) Huntelaar. âÂÂIt was a match where you think âÂÂah sh*t, weâÂÂre going to loseâÂÂ.âÂÂ
Pepe: Sent off
Drenthe celebrated his return to the Bernabeu after a three-month absence by picking up a booking within seconds. But it was all part of a cunning plan, revealed the Dutch midfielder.
âÂÂI spoke to my father before the game. We said that if I enter the match, then I have to go in hard. Even if you get a yellow card, they know that Royston is back,â growled Drenthe.
Admitting that sleep was going to be tough that night, the Madrid man took time out to heap more praise on HiguaÃÂn. âÂÂHe can be incredible in the most difficult of moments.âÂÂ
Even Sport, over in Barcelona, found the match intriguing with Josep Maria Casanovas writing that âÂÂit was a final of shocks with laughs and tears.âÂÂ
However, the paper is not getting too carried away with the affair and focuses its attention on WednesdayâÂÂs visit of Sevilla when âÂÂwe are all playingâ which may not be impressive as it sounds considering the usual attendance for midweek Barca games at 10pm.
While most of the Sevilla squad are preparing for a journey to the Camp Nou, the goalkeeper for the encounter, Javi Varas, is apparently expecting a trip into the valley of death. Or rather his mother is.
âÂÂShe has been to La Macarena to light candles for me,â revealed the fearing-no-evil Sevilla man who is standing in for the suspended Andres Palop.
In TuesdayâÂÂs other game, Athletic did themselves a huge favour with a 2-1 away win to a now very doomed Numancia. But it was no thanks to defender Aitor Ocio whose fortnight has gone very Pete Tong.
Having been sent off against Osasuna two rounds ago, the Athletic stopper returned to the line-up only to score an own goal within nine minutes and be given his marching orders not long after with two swift yellows.
Wednesday sees Osasuna âÂÂentertainingiâ Málaga in the Dick Cheney sense, Deportivo âÂÂentertainingâ AlmerÃÂa in the Spanish sitcom sense, while Betis are looking for a third win on the spin at home to Valencia.
The Mestalla men have been full of remorse all week, with both David Villa and JoaquÃÂn apologising for their unfortunate behaviour during SundayâÂÂs 3-1 win against Sevilla.
Villa: Strops off
The two players were substituted in the victory and both players let their angry feelings known to Unai Emery. However, the pugnacious pair subsequently remembered that the hard-lining Valencia manager carried his childhood hobby of burning ants with a magnifying glass into adulthood and sought his forgiveness.
âÂÂI thought the doctor has ordered the substitution,â said Villa as motivation for losing his rag.
âÂÂI was breast-fed till the age of seven!â confessed JoaquÃÂn. About three years ago.
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