Chelsea winger Mudryk films training at non-league club amid doping ban

Chelsea forward Mykhailo Mudryk has shared footage of himself training at a non-league club while he serves a provisional suspension for a doping violation.

The 25-year-old has not featured for the Blues since November 2024.

He remains unavailable for selection following an adverse finding in a routine urine test.

Despite being barred from the club’s Cobham base, the winger has been maintaining his fitness with a private coach.

Social media update

Mudryk posted a video to his 1.8 million Instagram followers showing a session at Uxbridge FC.

The footage captures the Ukraine international working on the synthetic surface at the semi-professional side’s stadium.

He is seen controlling a pass around a mannequin before firing a shot into the corner with his left foot.

The forward insists he did not knowingly take a banned substance.

Meldonium suspension details

The substance detected in the player’s system was meldonium.

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) added the drug to its prohibited list in 2016.

It is banned because it aids oxygen delivery to tissues and enhances endurance recovery.

The former Shakhtar Donetsk star faces a potential ban of up to four years depending on the final sanction.

Rosenior plans talks

Mudryk recently broke his silence to thank fans for their continued backing.

“I just wanted to say thank you for your support. I see all your messages and truly appreciate them, so please don’t give up on me as I [have] not give up on myself. Can’t wait to see you soon.”

Newly appointed Chelsea manager Liam Rosenior has addressed the situation surrounding the absent forward.

Rosenior described the Ukrainian as a “magnificent player” and intends to speak with him.

“It’s definitely something that I want to do, but there are many things I want to do and haven’t been able to do. But, no, he’s a magnificent player. He’s had a really difficult time and when the moment is right for me and him and the club, I’ll definitely have a conversation with him.”

It has become clear that if the Gunners are to secure the trophy this season, they will have to do it the hard way.

Earlier hopes of a comfortable procession to the summit have evaporated as the campaign enters its final stages.

Mikel Arteta’s side are now fighting for every point as they approach the finish line.

With nine league games remaining, a perfect record would guarantee Arsenal the status of champions.

However, that run-in includes a pivotal trip to face Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium.

Responding to the champions

The north Londoners have shown significant mental strength in their recent outings.

Having dropped points in four consecutive matches played after City earlier in the season, Arsenal have now successfully answered the questions asked of them.

Victories over Tottenham and Chelsea in back-to-back derbies have restored a sense of calm to their title bid.

While the win over Spurs was comprehensive, the three points against the Blues required a defiant rear-guard action.

Nerves against ten men

Unlike their commanding performance in the north London derby, Arsenal were forced to dig in until the final whistle against Chelsea.

The tension remained palpable even after the visitors saw Pedro Neto dismissed with 20 minutes left on the clock.

Surprisingly, the man advantage did not result in control for the hosts.

Following the red card, Arsenal completed just 55 passes compared to Chelsea’s 114.

The statistics made for grim reading in the closing stages, with the pass completion count swinging 53-7 in Chelsea’s favour from the 85th minute onwards.

“We weren’t getting the dominance and the sequences of play that we wanted and expected against the 10 men,” admitted Arteta.

“It’s certainly something that we’ll discuss tomorrow because we have to improve it and do better, but at the same time you have to give credit to Chelsea for the manner that they’ve done it.”

Surviving a late scare

The Gunners looked uncharacteristically nervous as they were pinned back in their own half.

Goalkeeper David Raya was required to produce a stunning save to claw away a dangerous cross and preserve the advantage.

The home crowd then faced an agonising moment in the dying seconds when the ball ended up in the Arsenal net.

However, a swift offside flag ruled out the goal, preventing what would have been a devastating blow to their title aspirations.

This result continues a recent trend of eking out tense, one-goal victories, mirroring similar narrow wins over Everton, Bournemouth, and Brighton.

Lamine Yamal has eclipsed the early career statistics of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo after reaching 100 goal contributions for club and country.

A statistical miracle

The Barcelona forward’s recent performances have cemented his status as a generational talent.

Yamal now boasts 100 combined goals and assists, a tally that puts him significantly ahead of modern greats at the equivalent age of 18 years and seven months.

At this stage of their respective careers, Messi had registered just five goal involvements, while Ronaldo had managed four.

Even Kylian Mbappe, renowned for his precocious impact with Monaco and France, trailed the Spaniard by 60 contributions at this milestone.

The La Masia graduate is currently 95 goal contributions ahead of the sport’s two most dominant figures of the 21st century.

Playing through the pain

Remarkably, these numbers are being posted despite the teenager managing a persistent physical issue.

Yamal has been suffering from a groin injury for months that would typically restrict a young player’s development.

While similar setbacks have sidelined peers like Athletic Club’s Nico Williams, the Barcelona winger continues to play through the pain barrier.

He appears immune to both the physical demands and the pressure of comparison to the Camp Nou’s greatest icons.

Mentality of a winner

Beyond the raw data, analysts suggest Yamal shares the ferocious competitive aggression that defined Messi’s tenure in Catalonia.

However, his psychological approach differentiates him from other elite forwards in the game.

Unlike the individualistic drive often attributed to Ronaldo, the Spain international appears motivated solely by collective team success.

His focus remains on the thrill of the contest and the mechanics of winning rather than personal accolades.

Historic hat-trick

His dazzling treble against Villarreal on Saturday marked the first hat-trick of his professional career.

That feat was achieved over a year younger than when Messi scored his maiden treble against Real Madrid in March 2007.

It was also recorded four years quicker than Ronaldo managed his first major three-goal haul.

Observers note that witnessing such production so soon after the Messi era is a rarity in elite sport.

Marcus Rashford is set to join Barcelona on a permanent basis after the Spanish giants agreed to trigger the £26m purchase option in his loan deal from Manchester United.

The England forward made a temporary switch to Catalonia in the summer, with the agreement including a specific fee should the club wish to retain him long-term.

Reports in Spain indicate that Barcelona have now decided to pay the required sum to secure his services beyond the current campaign.

The deal marks a significant depreciation in the player’s valuation, falling well short of the figures Manchester United once demanded for their academy graduate.

End of an era at Old Trafford

Rashford has been associated with the Premier League club since childhood, rising through the ranks to become a key figure in the first team.

However, his influence waned under former manager Ruben Amorim, leading to his initial departure on loan.

Despite Amorim’s subsequent dismissal, the Old Trafford hierarchy reportedly have no plans to reintegrate the 27-year-old into the squad.

United appear resigned to his permanent exit, accepting a fee that represents a fraction of the £100m valuation placed on him during previous transfer windows.

Long-standing European interest

The reduced fee is a stark contrast to the sum Thomas Tuchel was prepared to sanction during his tenure at Paris St-Germain.

The German coach, who is now in charge of the England national team, had identified Rashford as a priority target following a Champions League encounter in 2020.

Tuchel reportedly viewed the versatile attacker as the ideal candidate to partner or replace Kylian Mbappe in the French capital.

People didn’t realise how good a player Rashford actually is.

Thomas Tuchel on Marcus Rashford’s ability during PSG negotiations

Career peaks and transfer reality

While a move to Paris never materialised, Rashford went on to enjoy the most prolific season of his career under Erik ten Hag, scoring 30 goals across all competitions.

Yet, inconsistency in subsequent campaigns saw his stock fall, resulting in his loan move to La Liga.

Barcelona are now poised to finalise the transfer in the coming summer window, formally ending Rashford’s 19-year association with Manchester United.

Arsenal defender Riccardo Calafiori has admitted he wishes to return to boyhood club Roma later in his career to settle “unfinished business”.

Comments come amid selection struggle

The Italy international has seen his playing time restricted recently following the emergence of Piero Hincapie.

Gunners manager Mikel Arteta has hinted the club intends to trigger a £45m option to sign Hincapie permanently this summer.

Calafiori, who joined Arsenal from Bologna for £33.7m last summer, has started just one Premier League game since returning from a knee injury in late January.

Speaking on the Italian podcast Supernova, the 23-year-old discussed his emotional connection to the Giallorossi.

“I’d like to return to Roma sooner or later,” Calafiori said.

“We can’t plan it, of course, but yes, I want to return.”

Unfinished business in the Italian capital

The versatile defender came through the youth ranks at the Stadio Olimpico but was sold during Jose Mourinho’s tenure.

He believes his time at the club was cut short prematurely following a difficult period under the Portuguese manager.

“I left something unfinished,” he explained regarding his departure.

“It all started very well, with a goal. I played a lot for the first six months with Mourinho, even providing a few assists.”

He noted that the infamous 6-1 defeat by Bodo/Glimt marked the turning point, after which he “didn’t play again”.

Following a loan spell at Genoa, the full-back was sold to Basel before re-establishing his reputation at Bologna.

Happy in north London

Despite his long-term ambitions to return to Serie A, Calafiori insisted he remains committed to life in the Premier League.

He praised the intensity of Arteta’s coaching methods in a separate interview.

“Obviously, he’s a really demanding guy, but I like it,” the Euro 2024 star told Sky Sports.

“It’s always better when your coach is asking you things in a good way, in a bad way, but it’s always nice to learn.”

He added that the Spanish coach pushes him daily to improve his game.

Jordan Pickford produced a save-of-the-season contender and Hugo Ekitike starred for Liverpool as individual brilliance defined the Premier League weekend.

Pickford haunts Newcastle again

Jordan Pickford loves a moment of high drama.

The England number one often produces his best work when the pressure is at its highest.

His performance at St James’ Park was a nightmare scenario for the Newcastle United support.

The Sunderland-born goalkeeper produced the defining moment of the match to deny his local rivals a stoppage-time equaliser.

Newcastle had attempted 10 shots from outside the box, but none were as sweet as Sandro Tonali’s effort in the 94th minute.

Pickford’s full-stretch denial secured a vital result for Everton.

It was a stop that will feature heavily in the end-of-season highlight reels.

The 31-year-old felt the save rivalled any he has made in his career.

“Up there with the best ever,” Pickford said.

It was reminiscent of his denial of Joshua Zirkzee during the victory over Manchester United in November.

Ekitike fills the void for Liverpool

There was palpable anxiety surrounding Liverpool’s attack before kick-off against West Ham.

Hugo Ekitike had failed to score throughout February.

The Frenchman was also operating without his primary supply line, as Florian Wirtz remained absent.

With both of the club’s £100m-rated forwards injured, the onus was on the former PSG striker to deliver.

Ekitike responded emphatically as Arne Slot’s side put five past the Hammers at Anfield.

The striker was directly or indirectly involved in three goals that arrived via set-pieces.

While set-piece dominance was not initially part of Slot’s philosophy, the Reds are increasingly relying on dead-ball situations.

Seven of Liverpool’s last nine league goals have come from this route.

Ekitike’s 6ft 3in frame and intelligent movement have become central to this strategy.

His subtle positioning created the space for the opener, holding off defenders until Ryan Gravenberch found him.

The forward’s influence continued for the second goal.

His darting run to the near post drew two defenders out of position, allowing Virgil van Dijk to nod home.

Lionel Messi scored his first goals of the season as defending champions Inter Miami recovered from a two-goal deficit to beat rivals Orlando City 4-2.

The Argentina captain struck a trademark free-kick in stoppage time to seal the victory after earlier equalising in the 57th minute.

It marked a significant turnaround for the visitors, who had trailed 2-0 at the break following early strikes from Marco Pašalić and Martín Ojeda.

The result secured Inter Miami’s first-ever victory at the Inter&Co Stadium after nine previous failed attempts.

Messi sparks second-half revival

Gerardo Martino’s side arrived in Orlando looking to respond to a heavy 3-0 defeat by LAFC in their previous outing.

However, they found themselves chasing the game early on after Pašalić continued his fine scoring run against the Herons with an 18th-minute opener.

The hosts doubled their advantage just six minutes later when defender Griffin Dorsey set up Ojeda to beat goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair.

Miami needed a rapid response after the interval and found one through Mateo Silvetti, who netted his first career goal just four minutes into the second half.

The 20-year-old forward was set up by Telasco Segovia, who would go on to play a pivotal role in the comeback.

Records tumble for Argentine icon

With momentum shifting, the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner levelled proceedings just before the hour mark, converting a pass from Segovia.

Segovia, who had already provided two assists, completed the turnaround himself by scoring unassisted in the 85th minute to make it 3-2.

Orlando’s hopes of a late reply were dashed when rookie teenager Colin Guske was sent off for a second bookable offence two minutes from time.

The Inter Miami skipper then added gloss to the scoreline with a curling set-piece in the 90th minute.

His brace takes his career tally to 898 goals, edging him closer to the historic 900-mark.

The former Barcelona forward has now scored 52 times in his first 55 regular-season MLS matches.

Inter Miami will look to build on this momentum when they visit D.C. United next Saturday.

Lindsey Heaps and Jaedyn Shaw scored to guide the United States to a 2-0 victory over Argentina in the SheBelieves Cup in Nashville on Sunday.

It marked a sixth consecutive shutout for Emma Hayes’ side, who have now outscored opponents 27-1 in their past seven outings.

The result ensures the hosts remain unbeaten since a narrow defeat by Portugal last October.

Heaps and Shaw provide the spark

Heaps opened the scoring in the 19th minute, converting with her left foot after Emma Sears had worked the ball into the box.

The strike was her 39th international goal, extending her record as the highest scorer on the current roster.

Shaw doubled the advantage with a curling right-footed effort from the edge of the area that found the top corner.

It was a milestone moment for the forward as she registered her 10th goal for her country.

Injury concerns for Hayes

There was concern for Lilly Reale shortly after the second goal, with the defender requiring treatment for a leg injury before being replaced by Emily Fox.

Substitute Trinity Rodman was also forced off in stoppage time following a heavy challenge from Milagros Martín.

The Argentina player received a yellow card for shoving Rodman, who did not return to the field for the final moments.

Dominance and next steps

The four-time World Cup winners controlled proceedings throughout, enjoying 67.7% possession at Geodis Park.

Goalkeeper Claudia Dickey was largely untroubled, facing just one shot on target compared to three from the American attack.

Attention now turns to Columbus, Ohio, where the US will face Canada on 4 March.

The Canadians head into that fixture in high spirits after thrashing Colombia 4-1 earlier in the day.