Yeray Alvarez News: Temporarily suspended

Alvarez has been temporarily suspended by UEFA after testing positive in a doping control following the first leg of the Europa League semi-final against Manchester United, the club and the player announced.

Alvarez overcame cancer and announced on his Instagram that the positive result was due to the accidental ingestion of a hair loss medication containing a banned substance. The disciplinary proceedings are currently under investigation and are subject to confidentiality, but the defender has been temporarily suspended by UEFA from playing football. This is a big blow for Athletic since Alvarez is an undisputed starter in central defense. Until the club and the player resolve the situation, Aitor Paredes is expected to have a larger role in the backline.