HONG KONG: Manager Xabi Alonso hailed Mykhailo Mudryk’s “emotional” return from a doping ban as the winger played for Chelsea for the first time in nearly two years in a 1-0 friendly defeat to Juventus in Hong Kong on Wednesday.
The Ukrainian international came on as a substitute for Nicolas Jackson in the 82nd minute, drawing applause from his team-mates and loud cheers from Chelsea fans in the 43,575 crowd at Kai Tak Stadium.
Mudryk had not played since November 2024 because of a doping ban, but won permission to resume his football career on Friday after winning an appeal.
Despite a lively cameo on the left side, he was unable to stop Juventus taking the spoils courtesy of a wonderful second-half strike from Kosovo international Edon Zhegrova.
“Really pleased for him. It was emotional for everyone from the club to see him back,” Alonso told reporters. “He was thrilled, for sure. After such a long period, to be back on the pitch, it was a great feeling for him.”
“I think we started pretty well. The first 30, 35 minutes, we have played with good control, we have created a few chances,” Alonso said.
“And the second half, there were many changes. The game was not that controlled and stable with all the substitutions.
“Unluckily, we didn’t get to win, but for sure, it’s the process, it’s minutes for everyone.”
Chelsea left both Cole Palmer and Levi Colwill out of the matchday squad, with Alonso saying England playmaker Palmer had suffered some discomfort after getting a knock in Saturday’s match against Tottenham in Sydney.
The Spanish coach said it was not a recurrence of the groin injury that sidelined him for much of last season, adding that he should be available for the next friendly.
Chelsea play Italian giants AC Milan in Jakarta on Saturday, before rounding off pre-season with games against Malaysia’s Johor Darul Ta’zim and Spain’s Real Sociedad.
They face Fulham at Craven Cottage in their opening league game on August 24.
Juventus travel to Australia for friendlies against fellow Italians Inter Milan and Palermo before kicking off the Serie A season with a trip to Frosinone on Aug 23.
In Perth on Wednesday, Frenchman Christopher Nkunku converted a late penalty as AC Milan drew 1-1 with rivals Inter Milan in a lacklustre pre-season derby.
In front of 52,310 fans, Serie A champions Inter appeared to be claiming the bragging rights after Federico Dimarco’s strike from close range in the 52nd minute.
But Nkunku was brought down by Carlos Augusto in the 83rd minute before squaring the contest with a superbly taken penalty.
The result ensured that new Milan coach Ruben Amorim is still seeking a maiden victory after his reign began with a 2-2 draw in a friendly against Celtic in Glasgow last month.
They will be encouraged by veteran midfield maestro Luka Modric playing the last 30 minutes having recently signed a one-year extension.
“It was nice to get some minutes under the belt and I felt good,” Modric said.
“It’s good to have these kinds of games to prepare for the season. “I think we did a lot of good things and hopefully we can just improve.”
The match was the first for AC Milan since the death of Franco Baresi, who captained the club during a golden era in the 1980s and 1990s.
There was a minute’s silence before the match with players from both teams linking arms.
Published in Dawn, August 6th, 2026
