In the 95th minute of a desperate Segunda División relegation clash, SD Huesca’s goalkeeper Esteban Andrada shoved Huesca captain Jorge Pulido to the ground after Pulice confronted him for interfering with a VAR review.
What began as a verbal exchange escalated when Andrada, already shown a yellow-red card for the shove, charged back at Pulido and struck him with a full-force right hook to the face, knocking the captain to the turf a second time within seconds.
The incident ignited an immediate melee as players from both teams flooded the pitch, prompting referee Dámaso Arcediano Monescillo to send off Huesca’s goalkeeper Dani Jiménez for striking Andrada in the chaos.
With both teams having exhausted their substitutions, outfield players were forced to occupy the goalkeeping positions for the final seconds, though no further action occurred before the final whistle.
Television replays showed clear swelling beneath Pulido’s left eye, confirming the severity of the impact, while Andrada’s actions drew sharp condemnation from live commentators who repeatedly exclaimed “Oh my God” before declaring the behavior intolerable.
Francho Serrano, Zaragoza’s 24-year-old midfielder and team captain, addressed the incident directly after the match, apologizing on behalf of his club and stating that such conduct could never be tolerated under the Zaragoza banner.
The match concluded with Huesca securing a 1-0 victory, a result that provided crucial breathing room in their relegation battle, though both clubs remain firmly entrenched in the bottom four of the Segunda División table where four teams face relegation.
For Andrada, a 35-year-old former Argentina international with four caps, the incident threatens a substantial suspension, with Spanish football authorities expected to impose a ban in the double-digit match range given the violent nature of the offense.
The involvement of multiple police officers who entered the pitch to restore order underscores the extraordinary nature of the breach of conduct, marking one of the most serious disciplinary incidents in recent Spanish second-tier football history.
What disciplinary action is Esteban Andrada likely to face?
Andrada is expected to receive a suspension in the double-digit match range due to the violent nature of the assault, though the exact length will be determined by the Royal Spanish Football Federation’s disciplinary committee following a formal review of the incident.
Why were outfield players forced to play goalkeeper?
Both teams had used all their permitted substitutions before the incident occurred, leaving no eligible goalkeepers on the bench after the dismissals of Andrada and Jiménez, which forced coaches to place outfield players in goal for the final seconds of stoppage time.
