Zaragoza goalkeeper throws punch after red card, setting off wild sideline brawl

In the final minutes of a tense La Liga 2 derby, Real Zaragoza's season took a sharp turn off the rails-not from a goal or a missed chance, but from a single, ill-advised punch. Goalkeeper Esteban Andrada, already shown a red card, turned and struck Huesca defender Jorge Pulido in the face, igniting a chaotic melee that spilled across the pitch and into the technical areas.

The incident unfolded late in the match, with Huesca clinging to a 1-0 lead. After a contentious call led to Andrada's dismissal, tensions flared during the walk back to the tunnel. Video shows the two players exchanging words before Andrada suddenly swung, connecting cleanly. Pulido dropped to the ground as players from both sides rushed in, shoving, shouting, and grappling in a scene that took officials several minutes to control.

Coaches, substitutes, and even some backroom staff joined the fray, with several needing to be physically restrained. Security quickly flooded the field, but not before chairs were thrown and at least one coach appeared to be struck. The match ended shortly after, with no further play possible under the circumstances.

While the result stands-Huesca takes the three points-attention has shifted entirely to the aftermath. Andrada is almost certain to face a lengthy suspension. Spanish football's disciplinary committee typically hands down stiff penalties for violent conduct, especially when it involves a player already dismissed. Given the visibility and severity of the punch, a ban of 10 or more games is possible.

The rivalry between Zaragoza and Huesca, already one of the more heated in Spain's second tier, now has a new, ugly chapter. Fans on both sides traded barbs online, but many expressed embarrassment at the spectacle. Some called for Andrada to be stripped of the captaincy, if not released outright, arguing that such behavior undermines the sport at every level.

For Huesca, the win keeps their promotion hopes alive, but the celebration was muted. Pulido was checked for injury but appeared to avoid serious harm. Still, the image of a goalkeeper throwing punches in a professional match is one that will linger, especially as video clips spread rapidly across social media.

La Liga 2 prides itself on competitive intensity, but incidents like this raise questions about player conduct and how quickly emotions can boil over. With playoff races tightening and relegation battles looming, the pressure is high. But as this match showed, there's a line-and once crossed, it's hard to come back from.