Athletic Club vs Arsenal Champions League suspensions as star banned and red card expires

Arsenal are set to gain an advantage as Athletic Club will be without a key player for their opening Champions League match. The Gunners will face the La Liga team on Tuesday evening and are keen to demonstrate their ability to compete in multiple tournaments.

Following their 3-0 triumph over Nottingham Forest at the weekend, Arsenal's focus now shifts to the Champions League, where they aim to better last season's semi-final loss to eventual champions PSG. The squad's depth has been heavily boosted during the transfer window, as evidenced by the new signings' performances against Forest.

The Gunners are off to San Mames to face an Athletic Club team participating in their first Champions League campaign since the 2014/15 season. However, manager Ernesto Valverde is dealing with several injuries and will be missing defender Yeray Alvarez due to his 10-month ban for using a banned substance.

We revealed that Alvarez was suspended after testing positive for canrenone following his team's 3-0 first-leg loss to Manchester United in their Europa League semi-final last season. The 30-year-old claimed he had accidentally consumed the substance as part of medication used to prevent hair loss, a step he had taken since undergoing cancer treatment, having been diagnosed with testicular cancer in 2016.

UEFA acknowledged that Alvarez had inadvertently consumed a prohibited substance, but the centre-back still received a 10-month ban, which he accepted in June. This means he won't be eligible to return until April 2, 2026, though he can resume training two months prior.

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Canrenone is a diuretic that could potentially serve as a masking agent, according to BBC Sport. Speaking on social media earlier this summer, Alvarez shared his thoughts on his ban and his regrets in inadvetently taking the substance.

He said: "After studying the case, we have established that I tested positive because I unintentionally took a hair loss prevention medicine containing a banned substance.

"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."

Alvarez has remained with Athletic throughout his career, progressing through their famed youth system to make 257 appearances for the Basque outfit. He made 29 appearances for Athletic across all competitions last season as the side secured fourth place in La Liga.

While boss Valverde will be without Alvarez for the Arsenal match, he is hoping to rely on fellow defender Dani Vivian. The 26-year-old was shown a straight red card against Manchester United after fouling Rasmus Hojlund in the box during the first leg of their Europa League semi-final last season.

Despite his red card, Vivian only served a one-match ban - missing the return leg at Old Trafford, which Athletic lost 4-1. This means that Arsenal's opponents will have Spain international Vivian available for selection against the Gunners on Tuesday.

Even though it's the first game of the league phase, players on both teams should be cautious about earning any yellow cards. Three bookings, not including red cards, across different matches will result in a one-match ban, with yellow card totals from the league phase also carrying over into the knockout rounds.

As well as this, UEFA rules state that players are given a one-match ban "after any subsequent odd-numbered caution." However, these tallies are wiped clean at the end of the quarter-finals, meaning a player can only be suspended for a final by receiving a red card.

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