Real Zaragoza goalkeeper Esteban Andrada has been banned for 13 matches after punching an opponent during a Spanish second-tier match. The Spanish football federation's disciplinary committee imposed the sanction following the incident against Huesca's Jorge Pulido.
The 35-year-old Argentine, 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 in stoppage time. The federation stated Andrada was given a 12-match ban for the punch, with an additional match for his red card.
Andrada apologised after the match, 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.' His club also condemned the incident, describing it as 'scenes unbecoming of this sport.'
The ban rules Andrada out for the rest of the season, dealing a blow to Zaragoza's hopes of avoiding relegation. They sit second-bottom in the Segunda División. In the same match, Huesca goalkeeper Dani Jiménez and Zaragoza's Dani Tasende were also sent off, receiving bans of four and two matches respectively.
