Last Sunday, the meeting on the thirty-seventh day of Liga 2 between Huesca and Zaragoza turned sour. As the game’s stoppage time came to an end, Esteban Andrada lost his temper. The Zaragoza goalkeeper sent his fist into Jorge Pulido’s face. Expelled, the player saw his case examined by the league’s disciplinary committee. And it hit very hard.
As several Spanish media reported this Wednesday, the authority confirmed the sentence: “A twelve-match suspension for assault on another player. » A thirteenth match suspension was added, but suspended, due to the two cards received by Andrada. The scuffle also led to several other sanctions. Also affected, Huesca goalkeeper Dani Jimenez was suspended for four matches. Dani Tasende, Zaragoza defender, was sentenced to two matches.
What exactly happened to cause everything to go wrong? Esteban Andrada first received a yellow card in the 64th minute of play. During stoppage time in the match, he challenged a referee’s decision and pushed a first player. Enough to push the referee, Damaso Arcediano, to issue a second yellow against him, synonymous with expulsion (90th + 8).
Esteban Andrada does not escape punishment
In its report, the RFEF commission justified its decision with the following words: “ Instead of returning to the locker room, as required by Article 120.3, the player adopted an aggressive attitude and ran – voluntarily – towards the captain of the opposing team. Once he reached him, (i) he jumped on him and (ii) hit him. The minimal premeditation required to go to the location where the victim was, combined with the use of excessive force during the execution of the act, as recorded in the report, demonstrates specific intent, which the Committee considers to be an aggravating circumstance of the first order. The nature of the blow – a direct blow to the face delivered with excessive force – places this act among the most serious attacks covered by this offense. »
After the match, well aware of having crossed the red line, Andrada publicly apologized to his club and its supporters. As reported by Marca, he even texted Huesca’s captain to apologize privately.
