Chelsea winger, Mykhailo Mudryk, made his first appearance in 20 months on Wednesday, coming off the bench in the Blues’ 1-0 pre-season defeat to Juventus in Hong Kong.
The Ukraine international replaced Nicolas Jackson in the 82nd minute at the Kai Tak Stadium, just five days after his suspension for testing positive for the banned substance meldonium ended following a settlement with the Football Association (FA) and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).
Mudryk received a warm reception from the crowd of 43,000 as he returned to action for the first time since scoring in Chelsea’s UEFA Conference League win over Heidenheim in November 2024, a gap of 615 days.
The 25-year-old almost connected with an overhit through ball from Estevao Willian moments after coming on and later delivered a left-footed cross while operating on his preferred left wing.
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Chelsea manager, Xabi Alonso, described the occasion as emotional for both the player and the club.
“It was emotional for everyone at the club to see him back, especially when I told him before the game that he could play for 10 to 15 minutes.
“He was thrilled, for sure. After such a long period, it was a great feeling for him to be back on the pitch, and for everyone as well.”
Mudryk had featured in open and closed training sessions before the match, convincing Alonso that he was fit enough to return. There had been uncertainty over his fitness after he trained individually with a private coach at seventh-tier side Uxbridge FC during his suspension.
Supporters welcomed his comeback enthusiastically, with many wearing shirts bearing his name and number, while messages on the stadium’s big screen also celebrated his return.
The winger joined Chelsea from Shakhtar Donetsk in January 2023 and scored 10 goals in 73 appearances before his suspension.
Despite Mudryk’s return, Chelsea suffered a second successive defeat under Alonso after Edon Zhegrova’s curling strike in the 68th minute secured victory for Juventus.
The Blues created several opportunities but failed to convert them, with Danny Welbeck, making his first appearance since joining from Brighton, Jamie Gittens and Marco Palestra all unable to find the net.
Meanwhile, 16-year-old midfielder Mahdi Nicoll-Jazuli continued to impress during Chelsea’s pre-season tour after earning his first senior start alongside Moises Caicedo.
The England Under-17 international produced another composed display in midfield, drawing praise from Alonso.
“He has special qualities you don’t see often from a 16-year-old guy.
“He has great dynamism and quality — a very complete player. He can pass short, dribble in the middle. He has made a good impression so far.”
Chelsea view Nicoll-Jazuli as one of the club’s brightest academy prospects and expect him to make his competitive first-team debut during the new season.
