- Real Zaragoza goalkeeper Esteban Andrada has been banned for 13 games after throwing a punch.
- The 35-year-old Argentine had knocked down opponent and captain Jorge Pulido in the second division derby against SD Huesca.
- Spanish sports newspapers describe the RFEF’s punishment as “historic”.
Goalkeeper Esteban Andrada will miss Real Zaragoza’s next 13 games after his violent outburst with a punch. This was announced by the Spanish football association RFEF. The 35-year-old Argentine received a yellow-red card last Sunday, which automatically leads to a one-game ban. He was then suspended for 12 games for the gross assault that followed his dismissal.
Andrada had completely lost his nerve in the second division relegation duel at SD Huesca – a derby in the Aragon region. He knocked down the opposing captain Jorge Pulido with a punch.
“Historic” punishment
The scandal was discussed intensively on social networks, and Spanish TV channels repeatedly showed and commented on it. Most Spanish sports newspapers described the punishment now imposed as “historic”.
What had happened? The guests were 1-0 down in the eighth minute of injury time and were pushing for an equalizer. When the referee checked a scene on the VAR, Andrada spoke to him. Huesca captain Pulido stood in the way of the goalkeeper and was forcefully pushed away by him. Andrada then saw yellow-red – and lost control.
Stick goalie “regrets” the incident
After his punch, there was turmoil on the pitch. The police intervened at times before the situation calmed down after a few minutes and two more expulsions.
After the game, Andrada was remorseful. “I regret it very much,” said the visibly affected Argentine several times. Something like that never happened to him in his career; his fuse simply blew. He asks Pulido for forgiveness and accepts the consequences.
Nino Vinzens (nvi) has been working for 20 minutes since 2024. His expertise is mainly spread across the sports of football, alpine skiing and ice hockey.
