Former Manchester City midfielder Samir Nasri has had his suspension for violating UEFA’s anti-doping regulations increased from six to 18 months.
Nasri was originally banned for six months after he received a drip treatment at a Los Angeles clinic in 2016, which UEFA said contravened rules laid down by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).
But an appeal against the initial sanction by UEFA’s ethics and disciplinary inspector has resulted in an extended suspension, announced on Wednesday.
The ban is backdated to July 1 2017 and while Nasri made eight appearances for Turkish side Antalyaspor during that time, the 31-year-old free agent can return to training in November.
“1. The player Samir Nasri is suspended for eighteen [18] months. This suspension will start running on 1 July 2017.
“2. The player Samir Nasri is allowed to return to training, with any football club starting from 1 November 2018.”
Nasri, who was on loan at Sevilla from City at the time, asked that UEFA grant him a backdated therapeutic use exemption (TUE) that would have seen him escape any punishment for the treatment.
UEFA rejected his request and the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) upheld the decision in December last year, after Nasri appealed.
Nasri’s spell with Antalyaspor lasted only six months after he joined from Manchester City in August 2017.
He played for Arsenal from 2008 to 2011 before moving to City for £25m, going on to win the Premier League twice during his time at Etihad Stadium.
During his loan spell at Sevilla last season he made 30 appearances and scored three goals.
In his early years at Marseille, Nasri was deployed in several positions, most notably as a deep-lying midfielder and a wide midfielder primarily on the right side as he was deemed too small to play in the middle of the park. After two years of developing his physical traits, in the 2006–07 season, manager Albert Emon inserted Nasri into the playmaker role, where his vision, technical skill and ability to read and understand the game suited him.
Since that season, Nasri has been primarily deployed in the position or as a central attacking midfielder at both club and international level. The player has personally admitted that playing centrally is his preference. However, as a result of his versatility, Nasri can also function on the wing and spent the majority of his career at Arsenal occupying the role in the team’s 4–3–3 formation. His close control with the ball, speed, dribbling, crossing, and ability to use both feet suits the position well, which has resulted in former manager Arsène Wenger deploying Nasri in the role during the player’s four-year stay at the club. Nasri often featured centrally for Arsenal in the absence of former club captain Cesc Fàbregas.
In 2009, in order to accommodate the arrival of Russian attacker Andrey Arshavin, it was recommended by both Wenger and then-France national team coach Raymond Domenech that Nasri revert to his role as a deep-lying midfielder so the player could showcase his underrated defensive abilities.
Nasri is also an underrated direct free kick and penalty kick taker. The player had previously developed a superstitionwith regards to taking spot kicks, but conquered the issue after successfully converting two penalties in the team’s League Cup victory over Tottenham Hotspur in 2010. Wenger describes Nasri as a “young, quick and technically outstanding player”. He is described in a similar fashion by club scout Gilles Grimandi, who stated that Nasri is “a fantastic athlete, he’s quick, flexible and good with his feet”.
Nasri’s playing style, ability and cultural background have drawn comparisons to Zinedine Zidane. After joining Arsenal and excelling on the wing, the English media began comparing him to former club player and compatriot Robert Pirès. Nasri has often attempted to disassociate himself from the two players, particularly the former player, stating, “There’s only one Zidane, just as there was only one Platini.