UEFA touches athletic Bilbao with a 10-month doping ban for the most important player in Champions League opposition

Athletic Bilbao defender Youay Álvarez has been sidelined since the beginning of the 2025-26 season after testing positive during the previous campaign. Now, with the Spanish club competitor. UEFA Champions League” UEFA has officially returned a 10 -month doping prohibition before the VeterenArtcentrum.

Yeray’s situation became public for the first time at the end of the 2024-25 season, when the player himself released a statement that confirmed he had Tested positively in a doping check during the Europa League and half final against Manchester United in May. The 29-year-old had already overcome major health fights in his career, including testicular cancer in December 2016 at the age of 21, followed by a relapse in 2017 before he returned to the first team in February 2018.

‘Since I overcome my illness, I have been undergoing a number of years of treatment for Alopecia and after studying the case, We discovered that the positive result was because I had accidentally taken a preventive medicine against hair loss that contain a forbidden substance‘Yeray wrote on Instagram on July 10.

After an investigation by ethics and the disciplinary department of UEFA, inspectors confirmed the prohibited substance Canrenone. According to the instructions, The administrative body has now issued a suspension of 10 months for Yeray Álvarez.

That is a positive comment for both player and club Yeray agreed to start his suspension on 2 June, which means that the ban will run until 2 April 2026. The ruling applies to all competitions, including La Liga, the Copa del Rey and the Champions League. Just like Paul Pogba’s case, from 2 February, Álvarez can resume training with his teammates.

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Athletic confirmed the decision in a statement released on Monday, and added: “Yeray will soon hold a press conference in which he will give the necessary explanations. “In the meantime, head coach Ernesto Valverde is confronted with a difficult season with a thin team.

Athletic Bilbao and a central back crisis

Yeray’s suspension had been a great concern during the planning of Athletic Bilbao for 2025-26, and now that it is officially made, it is an important blow. Without Yeray, Valverde has only two Fit Center -backs available: Dani Vivian and Aitor Paredes.

The club chose not to keep Nuñezwho spent on loan in Celta Vigo last season before he joined Hellas Verona at a permanent deal. Meanwhile, 23-year-old Unai Egiluz was considered an option after a loan spell at CD Mirandés, but He suffered an ACL Tair That will keep him out for most of the season.

The most important back -up plan was a reunion with Aymeric LaporteHe had agreed to return to San Mamés. However, Al Nassr has submitted the paperwork after the transfer window had already been closed and UEFA rejected the move. That failure left athletically short -handed at the back on the way to what a demanding season promises to be.