Former Celtic flop Efrain Juarez has been handed the harshest ban in football management after he was barred from entering any stadium in Colombia for three years...despite being the boss of the country's biggest club, Nacional.

And ex-Rangers striker Alfredo Morelos backed his manager after he had the book thrown at him for 'excessive celebrating.'

Mexican coach Juarez - who moved to Celtic in a £2 million deal 14 years ago but lasted only one season before being shipped out on loan to Real Zaragoza and then Club America permanently - guided his side to a 1-0 win against city rivals and Morelos' first club Independiente Medellin in the Copa Colombia semi-finals.

Trouble broke out in the stadium following Juarez's wild celebrations and he was interviewed by local police after the game and accused of 'provoking incendiary behaviour.'

And he was hit with an extraordinary sanction from the Colombian FA who banned him from 'entering any sports stadium in the country for three years' and fined him £5,000.

They stated: "The actions of the coach by his excessive celebrating directly put fans and players at risk by encouraging violence in the stadium."

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It effectively means he cannot continue in his job and provoked outrage in the South American country with the mayor of Medellin, Federico Guttierez stating: "The ban is completely absurd. The only thing left is to expel him completely from the entire city.

"It ignored the real problem in Colombian football which is violence among the fans."

And Morelos - who is only just back from a club suspension after being involved in a road accident which injured a man where he was accused of drink driving - supported his manager.

He pointed out: "If they didn't want us to celebrate, they shouldn't have let us score a goal. It was a big game and we all celebrated an important goal.

"We all support Efrain Juarez. We are a big, strong family at this club."

Juarez was a long-term No.2 to former Celtic boss Ronny Deila at New York City FC, Standard Liege, and Club Brugge and has appealed the draconian sanctions.