Efrain Juareztechnical director of the Colombian team National Athletic, is in the middle of controversy after receiving an unprecedented sanction from the authorities. All for a celebration that they described as “provocative” after their team’s victory in the Colombia Cup semifinal against Independent of Medellin.
The sanction issued by the Medellín Security Secretariat It consists of the prohibition of the Mexican coach, Atanasio Girardot, from entering his club’s stadium for a period of three years and a fine of 24 million Colombian pesos (around 111,700 Mexican pesos).
The severity of the punishment surprised both the football community and the club’s followers, generating a wide discussion about the proportionality of the sanction that will lead Club Atlético Nacional to seek a reduction in the middle of a key moment of the season.
Efrain Juarez Valdez He began his career as a professional soccer player in the basic forces of National University Clubbetter known as the UNAM Pumas.
From a young age he was already considered a promise in national soccer, which is why he played with the Mexican National Team on U-17 World Cup Peru 2006, tournament where he was crowned world champion along with figures such as Carlos Vela, Giovani Dos Santos and Héctor Moreno.
Juárez was considered the best right back of his generation in Mexico, being important in the Liga MX title that Pumas won in 2009, which paved the way for him in European football, playing for Celtic in Scotland and Real Zaragoza. directed by the Mexican Javier Aguirre in the Spanish league.
After three years in European football, the right back returned to Mexico to play for the Club America, where he also became champion in 2013, although he had little activity due to a serious injury to his right arm.
In 2020, Efraín Juárez decided to end his career as a footballer at the age of 32, while he was playing for Vålerenga in Norway’s first division, to begin his preparation to be a coach.
Efraín Juárez began the professional coaching course in 2020 and had his first opportunity on the bench as an assistant coach for the Norwegian Ronny Deila, when he directed New York City who won the MLS Cup that year.
Ronny Deila trusted the Mexican and took him as part of his coaching staff to European football in teams like the Liège Standard and the Club Bruges of the Belgian league.
On August 24, the Mexican began his time as technical director by signing with the Club Atlético Nacionalone of the most important clubs in Colombian soccer.
The Mexican did not disappoint as coach of “los verdolagas”. He managed to qualify the team to the final quadrangle of the Colombian league with 32 points in the Clausura 2024 season, where he recorded 9 wins, 5 losses and 5 draws.
In addition, he led his team to play in the final of the Colombia Cup, humiliating Independiente de Medellín, the club’s greatest rival, with a score of 5-0 in the semifinals.
In the midst of the controversy and rumors that pointed to a dismissal of the Mexican, Sebastian Arangopresident of National Athleticreported that Efraín Juárez will continue in the green box, because said decision of the Medellín Security Secretariat has not been fully confirmed, until it is ratified in a second instance.
“Efraín can direct. There is still no firm sanction, we will have to wait for the second instance for this which is in the hands of the Ministry of Security, where we hope that sanction that seems illogical, disproportionate to us will be overturned,” he stated on the television program, Tertulia Verdolaga. .
For now, Juárez has the support of his Club, which will seek the feat of achieving the “double” by winning the league and cup titles in the same season.
