Mykhailo Mudryk made his long-awaited return for Chelsea after 20 months out, coming on as a substitute in their 1-0 defeat by Juventus in Hong Kong.
The Ukraine international entered the game in the 82nd minute at Kai Tak Stadium, receiving a warm reception from the 43,000-strong crowd. His appearance came only five days after his suspension for testing positive for the banned substance meldonium ended following a settlement involving the Football Association and World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).
Mudryk’s first contribution was an attempt to reach an overhit through-ball from Estevao Willian. He also pressed Juventus players and operated on the left wing, his preferred position, before sending a late left-footed cross into the area.
The 25-year-old’s brief cameo came 615 days after his last competitive appearance. That was in November 2024, when he scored for Chelsea in a Conference League victory against Heidenheim.
Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso said: “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 was given an enthusiastic welcome by supporters throughout the evening. Fans reacted loudly when he became involved, while he appeared to attract considerable attention from those seeking autographs. A number of spectators also wore shirts carrying his name and number.
A message on the stadium’s big screen welcomed back the forward, who joined Chelsea from Shakhtar Donetsk in January 2023. He scored 10 goals in 73 appearances for the club before his suspension.
Mudryk had taken part in an open training session the previous day and later completed another session behind closed doors. Those workouts persuaded Alonso that he was ready to play a limited role against Juventus.
There had been uncertainty about how Mudryk had maintained his fitness while away from competitive football. He had been working with a private coach and training at the Honeycroft Stadium, the home ground of seventh-tier club Uxbridge FC.
Despite the positive reaction to Mudryk’s return, Chelsea suffered a second consecutive defeat under Alonso. Edon Zhegrova settled the match in the 68th minute with an impressive curling finish.
Chelsea had created the better opportunities, but Danny Welbeck, Jamie Gittens and Italian full-back Marco Palestra were unable to convert their chances. Welbeck was making his first appearance since joining from Brighton.
Nicolas Jackson also featured for Chelsea for the first time in more than a year after returning from a loan spell at Bayern Munich. The striker played for 37 minutes before being replaced by Mudryk in a pre-arranged substitution.
Jackson responded positively to the change, turning to give Alonso a thumbs-up as he left the pitch.
