Real Zaragoza goalkeeper Esteban Andrada has been handed a 13-match ban by the Spanish football federation after punching Huesca player Jorge Pulido during a second-tier derby match. The disciplinary committee also fined the former Argentina international and his club following the incident, which occurred in stoppage time of last Sunday's game.
Andrada, who is on loan from Mexican side Monterrey, was initially sent off after shoving Pulido and receiving a second yellow card. He then ran at Pulido and struck him in the face, sparking a brawl on the pitch. The federation imposed a 12-match ban for the punch, in addition to the automatic one-match ban for the red card.
The 35-year-old goalkeeper will miss the remainder of the season, a significant blow for second-bottom Zaragoza as they fight to avoid relegation. Andrada later expressed remorse, saying: '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.'
In the aftermath of the brawl, Huesca goalkeeper Dani Jiménez and Zaragoza’s Dani Tasende were also sent off. Jiménez received a four-match ban, while Tasende was suspended for two matches. Huesca held on to win the match 1-0 at home. Zaragoza condemned the incident, stating: 'We witnessed scenes unbecoming of this sport and which should never have occurred.'
