Zaragoza’s Andrada Banned For Rest of Season After Punching Rival Player

In a dramatic ruling on Wednesday, Spain’s football federation handed Real Zaragoza goalkeeper Esteban Andrada a staggering 13-match ban after the Argentine lost his composure and punched a Huesca player square in the face during a tense second-division derby.

The incident unfolded in stoppage time of Sunday’s heated clash, when Andrada on loan from Mexican side Monterrey first shoved Huesca defender Jorge Pulido to the ground, earning a second yellow card and an automatic red. But instead of walking off, the 35-year-old veteran snapped.

Enraged, he sprinted back toward Pulido and landed a blatant punch, sparking an all-out brawl involving players from both teams.

Spain’s disciplinary committee later confirmed that Andrada would serve a 12-match suspension specifically for the punch, plus an additional one-match ban for the red card. Combined, the penalty effectively ends his season and delivers a severe blow to Zaragoza’s fight against relegation. The club and the player were also fined.

The chaos didn’t stop there. Huesca goalkeeper Dani Jimenez and Zaragoza’s Dani Tasende were both sent off in the ensuing melee. Jimenez received a four-match ban, while Tasende was suspended for two games. Hosts Huesca held on for a 1-0 victory.

After the match, a visibly remorseful Andrada issued a public apology: “The truth is I’m very, very sorry for what happened. It’s not a good image for the club, for the fans, and especially not for a professional like myself. So, I’m very sorry.”

Zaragoza also condemned the outburst in a statement on Sunday, saying, “We witnessed scenes unbecoming of this sport and which should never have occurred.” With their goalkeeper now sidelined for the remainder of the campaign, the club faces an uphill battle to avoid dropping to the third tier.