Chelsea host Shamrock Rovers in the Europa Conference League tonight but Mykhailo Mudryk will play no part after testing positive for a banned substance.
The Ukrainian insists he has never knowingly taken any banned substance and vowed to prove his innocence, but the winger has been provisionally suspended from football while awaiting the results of a ‘B’ sample after an “adverse finding in a routine urine test”.
Mudryk has been a regular in the Conference League this season, starting each of the first four group matches before missing last week’s trip to Astana.
Chelsea have already qualified for the last 16 having won all five of their group matches so far and Enzo Maresca is likely to rotate heavily for the visit of the Irish side ahead of Sunday’s Premier League trip to Everton.
Youngster Josh Acheampong should get another opportunity to impress at right-back after finally putting pen to paper on a new long-term contract on Wednesday, while fellow academy graduate Tyrique George will hope for more involvement, off the bench at least.
Cesare Casadei is available again after serving a one-match suspension against Astana. Marc Cucurella is suspended for Sunday’s Everton game but it remains to be seen whether Maresca uses that as reason to start the Spaniard tonight.
Predicted Chelsea XI: Jorgensen; Acheampong, Tosin, Disasi, Veiga; Casadei, Dewsbury-Hall; Neto, Nkunku, Felix; Guiu
Injured: James, Fofana, Badiashile
Doubts: Joao Felix, Chukwuemeka, Chilwell
Suspended: Mudryk
Time and date: 8pm GMT on Thursday December 19, 2024
Venue: Stamford Bridge
TV channel: TNT Sports
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