Manchester United and Chelsea flop issued with six-month ban for 'reprehensible conduct': report

Ex-Man United and Chelsea midfielder Juan Sebastian Veron has a long-held association with Argentine club Estudiantes.

It is the side he broke through at as a youngster during the 1990s and the club he finished his career at two decades later.

In between, Veron enjoyed spells in Italy with Sampdoria and Lazio, winning the Scudetto with the latter.

Former Man United and Chelsea star serves six-month suspension

Veron's time in England was less successful, though, spending two years at Man United before joining newly-minted Chelsea in 2003.

His Stamford Bridge stint officially lasted four years but three of those were spent out on loan at Inter Milan and Estudiantes before securing a return to his boyhood club in 2007.

Since retiring, Veron has become president at the La Plata-based club and this week made headlines for supposedly instructing his players to turn their backs on opponents Rosario Central during a guard of honour.

Rosario were crowned 'league champions' for finishing top of Argentina's Primera Division but the league does not rely on a simple single-table league finish.

Instead, an end-of-season play-off knockout competition is held which ultimately decides the title winner.

In protest at Rosario's crowning, Estudiantes players lined up to welcome the 'league champions' at Estadio Jorge Luis Hirschi ahead of their Clausura last-16 play-off match. But, instead of applauding Rosario's players onto the pitch, the Estudiantes team, in a coordinated effort, turned their backs.

As a result, Veron has been handed 'a six-month suspension from all football-related activities' by the AFA. Estudiantes' players who 'engaged in the reprehensible conduct' have also been suspended for two matches beginning next season.