Topics: Football, UEFA, Europa League, Man Utd, La Liga, Europa Conference League
UEFA has confirmed that the player will face punishment after testing positive for a banned substance following Manchester United’s 3-0 Europa League semi-final first-leg victory over Athletic Club in May.
United swept aside their Basque opponents with ease at San Mames thanks to a Casemiro opener before captain Bruno Fernandes bagged a brace.
The Red Devils then completed their victory in the second leg with a 4-1 win (7-1 on aggregate) at Old Trafford, with two strikes from Mason Mount and goals from Rasmus Hojlund and Casemiro sending United to the final – also at San Mames - where they would later fall to a 1-0 defeat against Spurs.
And just as both United and Athletic had put the 2024/25 Europa League campaigns firmly behind them, UEFA has suspended a player who played 90 minutes in the semi-final first leg.
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UEFA has banned centre-back Yeray Alvarez for a period of ten months after the 30-year-old failed a doping test on May 1, which will stop him from playing competitive matches until April 2026 – although he can return to training on February 2.
European football’s governing body says that “analysis of the player’s sample” was carried out by a World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) accredited laboratory, which found “the presence of Canrenone”, a substance listed on WADA’s Prohibited List.
As per The Athletic, the substance is a diuretic, which can be used as a masking agent. It can also increase the rate of weight loss and is also provided as an anti-acne medication.
A statement released by UEFA on Monday (September 8) read: “On 1 May 2025, Athletic Club player Yeray Alvarez underwent an in-competition doping control carried out by UEFA following a UEFA Europa League match.
"The analysis of the player’s sample by a WADA-accredited laboratory revealed the presence of Canrenone, which is a substance prohibited in and out of competition under the category S5. Diuretics and Masking Agents of the 2025 WADA Prohibited List.
"On 2 June 2025, the player accepted a voluntary provisional suspension, having effect from that date.
"Following the opening of disciplinary proceedings against the player on 10 June 2025, two UEFA Ethics and Disciplinary Inspectors conducted an investigation, and the case was submitted to the UEFA disciplinary bodies for decision.
"At its meeting on 19 August 2025, the relevant UEFA disciplinary body decided to suspend the player for ten (10) months, starting from the date of the provisional suspension (i.e. 2 June 2025) and ending on 2 April 2026, for committing a non-intentional anti-doping rule violation.”
Alvarez was quick to have his say once UEFA publicly announced its verdicts and put the breach down to his use of “unintentionally” taking a “hair loss prevention medicine containing a banned substance”.
The 30-year-old took to social media and explained his side of the incident.
He wrote: "The disciplinary procedure is currently under investigation and subject to confidentiality, so I am provisionally suspended and am not authorised to make any further public statements.
"I very much regret this situation, but, with the support of the club, I am working on my defence in the belief that I will be able to return to the field of play as soon as possible."
