Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca, the head coach of Chelsea, has disclosed that he hasn’t had any communication with winger Mykhailo Mudryk since the Ukrainian international was charged with an anti-doping violation.
The 24-year-old could face a significant suspension after the Football Association announced on Friday that formal charges had been brought against him.
Mudryk has been sidelined since last December, following a positive test for a banned substance that led to his suspension.
Maresca, seen recently on the touchline during a match, confirmed he has not spoken with Mudryk since learning of the charge.
Mudryk’s most recent public appearance was last month at the Europa Conference League final in Wroclaw, where he attended in a private capacity.
Looking ahead to Chelsea’s second game of the tournament — a Friday fixture against Flamengo in Philadelphia — Maresca commented, “I last spoke with ‘Misha’ in Poland when we were involved in the Conference League final, but I haven’t talked to him since then.
“To be honest, I hadn’t seen the news. It was only communicated to me last night. At this point, I have nothing else to say, as I don’t have further details. If you are reading from the Phoenix browser, click on Read Original at the top to read the original version of the article that contains videos.
Although Chelsea made no official statement after the charge was revealed, they had earlier expressed their support for the player.
Maresca added, “When I last spoke to Misha, he seemed to be in a good place. I didn’t notice any signs of worry or distress. Everything appeared fine.
“I don’t know how he’s feeling at the moment, but certainly, in the coming days or weeks, we will have a conversation.”
Chelsea winger Noni Madueke, pictured during a recent game, continues to be part of Maresca’s plans.
The club is reportedly seeking to bring in another winger during the summer transfer window and has been linked with Borussia Dortmund’s Jamie Gittens. However, Maresca emphasized that this pursuit is unrelated to Mudryk’s situation.
The Italian coach stated, “We’ve played nearly a full season already without Misha.
“The decision to target a new winger isn’t because of Misha. It’s clear we need to strengthen that area.”
Maresca also addressed speculation about the future of Noni Madueke amid reports that Arsenal is showing interest in the English international.
“Noni is our player,” Maresca said. “Right now, there are plenty of rumors about many players, but Noni remains ours. We see him as part of our plans for next season.”
Ahead of the match against Flamengo at Lincoln Financial Field, Maresca is preparing to make adjustments to the squad due to the expected high temperatures.
Having secured a 2-0 win over LAFC in their Group D opener, Chelsea will face the Brazilian team at 2pm local time, with forecasts predicting temperatures of around 28°C.
Maresca explained, “The heat makes things challenging, which is why we plan to rotate players.
“Of course, as a Brazilian team, they’re more used to playing in this kind of weather—but that won’t stop us. We’re going to give everything we’ve got to win.
