Mykhailo Mudryk made his debut for Chelsea after serving a 20-month doping suspension, participating in the club’s 1-0 loss to Juventus in a preseason friendly on Wednesday.
The 25-year-old Ukrainian international came off the bench in the 82nd minute at the Kai Tak Stadium in Kowloon, Hong Kong, replacing Nicolas Jackson.
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“I’m genuinely happy for him,” Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso expressed to reporters. “It was a touching moment for everyone at the club to see him back on the pitch. I told him before the game that I wanted him to play for 10 or 15 minutes.”
“He was definitely excited to be back, especially after such a long time away from the game. It was an incredible experience for him and for all of us,” he added.
Mudryk had not participated in competitive matches since November 2024, having received a four-year suspension due to a failed drug test indicating low levels of meldonium, a banned substance.
Last week, he received clearance to return to play from the FA. Mudryk flew into Hong Kong on Monday and took part in training with his teammates ahead of the match against Juventus.
Despite his appearance on Wednesday, Mudryk’s future with Chelsea is somewhat uncertain, with rumors of a potential loan deal emerging. He joined Chelsea from Shakhtar Donetsk in January 2023 and recorded 10 goals in 73 appearances for the club before his suspension. His current contract with Chelsea extends until 2031.
Edon Zhegrova scored the sole goal of the match, securing Juventus’s victory against a Chelsea side that featured new signing Danny Welbeck in the forward position. Chelsea is currently missing several key players due to their participation in the later stages of the World Cup.
“Unfortunately, we didn’t manage to win, but it’s about the process; it’s important for everyone to get minutes,” Alonso remarked. “We have two more games before returning to London, where we will start making some decisions. We have a significant part to play, but we are also missing many key players,” he added.
Chelsea’s next matchup is against AC Milan on Saturday in Jakarta, continuing their preseason tour.