Verón, ex Manchester United, Suspended 6 Months for Protest in Argentina

The Argentine Football Association (AFA) has sanctioned Juan Sebastián Verón, president of Estudiantes de La Plata, with a six-month suspension from all football-related activities. The measure comes after the players of the La Plata team staged a protest gesture against Rosario Central. The incident took place on Sunday, when the Estudiantes soccer players, instead of performing the traditional guard of honor to Rosario Central, recently recognized champion, chose to turn their backs on their rivals. This action was carried out within the framework of a match corresponding to the first day of the Clausura tournament. In addition to the suspension of Verón, the eleven players involved in the protest have been suspended for two matches. Estudiantes’ decision came three days after the Argentine football authorities awarded a new trophy to Rosario Central, a move that generated controversy. Traditionally, the Argentinian league has two championships, the Apertura and the Clausura, both with playoffs to determine the winners. However, last Thursday, the title of “League Champion” was established for the team with the highest score in the general classification. Rosario Central accumulated the most points (66) in the regular phases of the Apertura and Clausura. Ángel Di María, a standout figure on the team, received the trophy last week. Students were the only team that publicly rejected the decision, denouncing that the measure was not put to a vote, as required by the regulations.

The match, played at the Gigante de Arroyito stadium, saw Estudiantes’ victory by 1-0, with a goal by Edwuin Cetré, eliminating Rosario Central, the “League Champion”. The league’s disciplinary panel confirmed the sanctions for Verón and his players on Thursday.

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Verón, who is the club president nine years after returning to his childhood team for the last season of his playing career, received a six-month suspension from sporting functions. The former Manchester United, Chelsea, Lazio player and star of the Argentine national team has been a frequent critic of the AFA and its president, Claudio Tapia, and it was determined that the decision to violate the protocol was his. The two-match suspension for the players will be served in the first tournament of 2026. This means that players like Uruguayan goalkeeper Fernando Muslera will be eligible to play against Central Córdoba on Saturday in the Clausura quarterfinals. In addition to those suspensions, captain Santiago Núñez has been suspended from acting as captain on the field for the next three months. Estudiantes de La Plata spoke out on social media after the decision, stating: “The Board of Directors expresses its absolute support for its president Juan Sebastián Verón, Santiago Núñez and the entire professional squad.” In recent years, the AFA, under Tapia’s leadership, has been characterized by constant changes in tournament formats and promotion and relegation rules. But never before had a new trophy been introduced after the season had already begun.