Shakhtar Donetsk midfielder Ivan Petriak has spoken out in defense of Mykhailo Mudryk, amid the ongoing doping scandal involving the Chelsea winger.

Mudryk has been sidelined since December after testing positive during a routine anti-doping check. The 23-year-old now faces a potential ban of up to four years, pending the outcome of the investigation.

"I don’t know the full story, but I honestly don’t believe Misha took anything intentionally," Petriak said in an interview with Denys Boiko. "There’s just no point — he’s a rocket, with or without any substance."

"It feels like a setup. I can’t say exactly how, but maybe someone planted something. At this level, your inner circle matters a lot — you need to be careful who you trust."

Petriak ended on an optimistic note, backing the Ukrainian international to return stronger: "He’ll be back in football. I have no doubt."

Before the suspension, Mudryk made 15 appearances for Chelsea in the 2024/25 season, scoring 3 goals and providing 5 assists across all competitions.