Fernando Romero Nuñez 
A row between Argentine goalkeepers Nahuel Guzmán and Esteban Andrada could see the former banned for three games after he aimed a laser pointer at his rival while he was on the pitch.
It all started during Sunday’s clash between Tigres and Monterrey — two of the biggest teams in Mexican football — , in Guadalupe, México, which ended 3-3. During the game, Gúzman, who was on the stands, out with a knee injury, was filmed pointing a laser at Andrada’s face.
The tactic is often used by fans to distract and annoy opposition players, but deemed foul play. In May 2022, football’s governing body FIFA fined the Senegalese football association 170,000 euros after images of Egyptian star Mohamed Salah’s face covered in green light spots went viral during the Qatar 2022 qualifiers.
Andrada, who played for Boca Juniors between 2018 and 2021, caught wind of the situation after the clip of Guzmán with the laser went viral. He replied with an Instagram story insulting Guzmán, which he later deleted.
According to Article 18 of the Mexican Football Federation’s penalties rulebook, Guzmán faces a ban of up to three games and fines of al least US$3,000 for “contravening the principles of sportsmanship and ‘fair play’ through actions and/or mockery.”
The goalkeeper, who first broke through at Newell’s Old Boys and has been at Tigres since 2014, apologized on social media. “As I’ve done privately, and abiding by the values of the club I represent, I’d like to use social media to offer my public apologies to Esteban [Andrada] for what happened last night […].”
It’s not Guzmán’s first time in the spotlight. In December 2023, he got a three-game ban for refusing to leave the pitch after being sent off in the Mexican Apertura 2023 final, even attempting to hide under the advertising board behind one of the goals.
Asked about the possible ban, a Tigres spokesperson told the Herald that “an internal code of conduct exists and is always applied when required.”
