Now I've seen everything, says Sociedad coach

Real Sociedad coach Raynald Denoueix might have been expected to be fuming after a controversial penalty four minutes into injury time proved to be the winner in Real Betis' 3-2 victory over the Spanish league leaders on Sunday.

However, Denoueix remained placid and instead delivered calm but scathing indictment on the divers and dodgy decisions that proliferate in the top flight of Spanish football.

"I'm not surprised about the penalty because after recent games I think I've seen everything," commented the Frenchman.

Betis got their last-gasp winner when their second-half subsitute striker Dani Martin appeared to back into Sociedad defender Igor Jauregi in the box and then theatrically crashed to the floor.

Referee Jesus Tellez Sanchez remained unmoved by Sociedad's protests, leaving Betis' Fernando Fernandez to score from the spot.
"However, I don't want to talk about the penalty because otherwise I'd have to talk about the rest of the referee's decisions in this game, and there would be a lot to talk about. I think I would be here for about another two hours," said Denoueix.

"But sometimes I wonder whether there is a conspiracy against us and some people don't want us to win the league," commented Denoueix.

Denoueix is still indignant about the two-week ban imposed on Wednesday on his Spanish international winger Javier De Pedro for stamping on an opponent when others have got away scot free.

Real Madrid's Zinedine Zidane has been guilty of two similar offences recently but the two-times World Player of the Year remains unpunished.

"Is it justice this result? Well, I have to accept it and move on. Justice isn't always evident in the result of a game," added Denoueix.

Sociedad are still two points ahead of the rest in the Spanish first division despite the loss but, after going unbeaten for the first half of the season, they have now lost two of their last three games.

The Basques have 44 points form their 22 games while Real Madrid and Valencia are second and third respectively with 42 points, split only by goal differance.

Denoueix admitted that the steam had been escaping from the Sociedad train in recent weeks.