Goalkeeper Esteban Andrada will miss Real Zaragoza’s next 13 games after his violent outburst with a punch.
The Spanish football association RFEF announced this on Wednesday (April 29, 2026). 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 – and knocked down the opposing captain Jorge Pulido with a punch.
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”.
Even the police intervened
The incident occurred when the visitors were 1-0 down and pushing for an equalizer in the 8th minute of stoppage time. When the referee was checking a scene on the video monitor, 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.
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 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.
Four international matches for Argentina
Andrada is an experienced goalkeeper who, among other things, played four games for the Argentine national team a few years ago and took part in the Club World Cup in the USA with the Mexican club CF Monterrey before moving to Zaragoza last summer.
