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 teammates 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.

#Chelsea

Chelsea take on Juventus at Kai Tak Sports Park in Hong Kong on Wednesday, with Xabi Alonso's side aiming to recover after their recent friendly loss to Tottenham.
The Blues head into this fixture still searching for rhythm under their new manager following an inconsistent pre-season run. They began their tour in style with an entertaining 6-4 win over Western Sydney Wanderers but were brought back down to earth last weekend with a narrow 2-1 defeat against London rivals Spurs in Sydney. Alonso has made it clear that improving fitness levels remains a top priority as several key international players gradually rejoin the squad.
Chelsea's squad looks much stronger for the Asian leg of the tour, as several senior players have linked up with the team after extended breaks following the World Cup.
Mykhailo Mudryk is back in contention and could feature after his 21-month doping suspension was lifted, although Alonso has stated he will be managed carefully and is unlikely to play a full match.
Robert Sanchez also returns after missing the Tottenham game with a minor injury and will compete with new signing Mike Penders for the goalkeeper spot.

#several #Chelsea

Chelsea are less than three weeks away from officially kicking off the Xabi Alonso era at Stamford Bridge, as the Blues continue their preseason preparations with a friendly against Juventus on Wednesday.
MORE — Preseason fixtures & results | Transfers completed
Alonso's side were beaten by 10-man Tottenham Hotspur as they completed the Australian leg of their tour before wrapping up against Juve and AC Milan in Hong Kong and Jakarta. Once back in London, Chelsea will host Real Sociedad at the Bridge on Saturday, August 15, before kicking off the 2026-27 Premier League season away to Fulham on Monday, August 24.
Mykhailo Mudryk could make his return to football after 20 months suspended after returning an "adverse finding" for a banned substance in 2024. Alonso says the 25-year-old winger, who joined Chelsea for $115 million in January 2023, is available for selection. "Yes, he could play. Maybe 90 minutes it's too early, but he can be selected. He's selected, so he can play. He trained yesterday, came directly from the airport to the hotel. So, yesterday was more about the feelings, more about the emotions, to be back with the players."
Kick off time: 7:30 am ET Saturday, August 5
Venue: Kai Tak Stadium — Hong Kong
How to watch: Fubo

#Chelsea #august #saturday #away

Mykhailo Mudryk could make his long-awaited return to action when Chelsea face Juventus in a pre-season friendly in Hong Kong on Wednesday.
The Ukraine international has been included in Xabi Alonso's squad after being cleared to resume his career last week following the resolution of his anti-doping case with the Football **** ociation.
Speaking ahead of the match, Alonso confirmed the 25-year-old is available for selection, although he suggested a full 90 minutes would come too soon.
"Yes, he could play. Maybe 90 minutes is too early, but he can be selected," Alonso said.
"He trained yesterday, came directly from the airport to the hotel. Yesterday was more about the feelings, more about the emotions, to be back with the players and to **** s the fitness level."

#alonso

Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso said on Tuesday "no decision" had been made on Mykhailo Mudryk's future but added the winger could play in pre-season after returning from a doping ban.
Ukrainian international Mudryk was suspended for four years after failing a 2024 drug test, but has won an appeal and was permitted on Friday to resume his football career.
The 25-year-old has not played since November 2024 and there have been rumours that Chelsea could sanction a loan move to bring him up to speed, or even a permanent transfer.
Asked about those possibilities in Hong Kong on Tuesday ahead of his side's friendly against Juventus, Alonso said: "No decision made.
"Everything has happened so quick, so the main thing is that we were thinking about the person, to feel that he was back in the group dynamic, part of the team.

#xabi #ukrainian #mudryk #Friday

Mykhailo Mudryk could return to action following 20 months on the sidelines on Wednesday after being named in Chelsea's squad to play Juventus in a friendly in Hong Kong.
The Ukraine international, 25, has not played a competitive match since November 2024, having been provisionally suspended after returning an "adverse finding" for banned substance meldonium.
But he was cleared to return to action last week after resolving his case with the Football ****** ociation.
New Chelsea boss Xabi Alonso said: "Yes, he could play. Maybe [to play] 90 minutes it's too early, but he can be selected. He's selected, so he can play.
"He trained yesterday, came directly from the airport to the hotel. So, yesterday was more about the feelings, more about the emotions, to be back with the players to ****** s the fitness level."

#selected #mykhailo

BlueCo-owned Ligue 1 side RC Strasbourg have signed Genesis Antwi (19) from Chelsea FC, both clubs have announced. The Sweden U21 international right-back is the first Chelsea player to join the Alsatians on loan this summer. Mykhailo Mudryk could follow suit. Antwi has regularly played for Chelsea's Under-21 side in the past two seasons.
The right-back made his first senior team appearances during Chelsea's run to their maiden UEFA Conference League ***** le in 2024-2025. Antwi remained contracted with the Premier League side until 2028. Strasbourg were in need of bolstering their right-back options with Guéla Doué seemingly of interest for PSG.
"The 19-year-old will now spend the forthcoming campaign on loan in the French top flight. We look forward to monitoring Genesis' progress and wish him the best of luck at Strasbourg", Chelsea say.
GFFN | Bastien Cheval

#Chelsea #genesis #league #first

Chelsea have been handed a significant boost as speedy winger Mykhailo Mudryk has been cleared to return to action after nearly two years out.
The Ukraine international was suspended for doping, but the ban has been lifted with immediate effect.
The Football ******* ociation's statement said that under current scientific testing standards, the sample collected from the 25-year-old would not have been reported as a positive violation.
Chelsea have released a statement also confirming the news, and the former Shakhtar Donetsk man will jet out to Hong Kong to join the team on tour.
Mudryk's last appearance for the Blues was against Heidenheim in the Europa Conference League in 2024.

#statement #hong #kong

Chelsea FC winger Mykhailo Mudryk has been cleared to make an immediate return to action after the Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas) partially upheld an appeal against his four-year ban for doping.
The 25-year-old has not played a competitive match since November 2024 after returning an adverse finding for banned substance meldonium.
Having been provisionally suspended by the Football ****** ociation (FA), Mudryk was then widely reported to have been given a four-year ban – though appealed to Cas against that decision.
The body has now ruled that Mudryk can return "with immediate effect" after he accepted breaking anti-doping rules, and reached agreement on a suspension equivalent to time served.
Cas said the test displayed "a low concentration" of the prohibited substance. It added that changes have since been made to the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) technical document regarding meldonium, a cardiovascular medication.

#year

Chelsea winger Mykhailo Mudryk is available to return to playing immediately after the Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas) partially upheld his appeal against a four-year ban for doping.
The Ukraine international, 25, has not played a competitive match since November 2024, having been provisionally suspended by the Football ***** ociation the following month after returning an "adverse finding" for banned substance meldonium.
He was subsequently given the maximum four-year ban by the FA but appealed against the decision to Cas, who have ruled Mudryk can return to competition "with immediate effect" after he accepted breaking anti-doping rules and agreed to a suspension equal to the time already served.
Chelsea said they are looking forward to getting Mudryk back to "full fitness, back into the squad and back on to the pitch" and he will join their pre-season tour.
More to follow.

#Chelsea #four #doping

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukraine's fired defense minister said Thursday he has rejected President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's efforts to persuade him to rejoin the government in a different role where he could continue fighting Russia's more than 4-year-old invasion.
Mykhailo Fedorov, who was dismissed last week after just six months in the job, is a youthful and popular public figure due to his success in modernizing the armed forces and giving Ukraine an edge in the war through innovative use of technology. He has also cracked down on corruption in military procurement.
His departure triggered street protests across Ukraine that have put pressure on Zelenskyy and cheered Moscow officials.
Fedorov said in a statement that leading the Defense Ministry was one of only three jobs that "actually shape the course of the war," along with the presidency and chief of the armed forces.
He said that he would "not accept any position other than" defense minister, in what amounted to a defiant stance against Zelenskyy.

#forces #thursday

Ukraine fired more than 400 drones toward Moscow in its latest major attack on the Russian capital, the city's mayor said Monday.
The blitz came hours after Russia bombarded Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities with ballistic missiles in a relentless cycle of ***** -for-tat strikes that make a settlement to end Moscow's more than 4-year-old all-out invasion appear a distant possibility.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, meanwhile, said he would hold "key talks" on Monday as he tries to defuse a domestic political crisis after last week's government reshuffle exposed a deep split between the military's old guard and young innovators over how to fight the war.
Zelenskyy needs to reassure Ukrainians that sacrificing 35-year-old Mykhailo Fedorov as defense minister and keeping faith with 60-year-old Soviet-trained Gen. Oleksandr Syrskyi as armed forces chief won't derail the fight against Russia.
Days of street protests in favor of Fedorov and against Syrskyi followed Zelenskyy's decision.

By Max Hunder and Tom Balmforth
KYIV/LONDON, July 16 (Reuters) - An extraordinary outburst by outgoing Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov laid bare a rift at the heart of Ukraine's war effort on Thursday, pitting a new guard pushing technology as the way to defeat Russia against the head of the armed forces.
The 35-year-old, who was ousted this week ‌in a government overhaul just six months into his job, aimed a blistering tirade at General Oleksandr Syrskyi, whom he accused of stirring up intrigue, blocking his initiatives and sabotaging ‌his work.
It is the first time the tensions have burst into the public eye.
Fedorov said he had agreed to make things work with Syrskyi after unsuccessfully petitioning President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to replace him, but that Ukraine's top general had taken to deliberately undermining him behind the scenes.

Ukraine said it used ground drones in over 16,000 missions in June, up from 7,500 in January.
The 122% increase over the last six months comes as danger zones along the front continue to expand.
Kyiv says it plans to eventually transfer "up to 100%" of supply missions to its ground robots.
Ukraine said on Thursday that its forces had conducted over 16,000 missions with ground drones in June alone, more than double its January tally.
"From logistics to medical evacuation, UGV units are taking over the most dangerous tasks," Ukraine's defense minister, Mykhailo Fedorov, said in a social media post on X announcing June's figures.

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukraine said Tuesday its forces struck a railway bridge, a power plant and other key infrastructure targets in Crimea as Kyiv's military seeks to isolate the vital Russian-held peninsula in the latest stage of the 4-year-old war.
The drone attacks added to the woes on the Black Sea peninsula, where Russian authorities have had to suspend gasoline sales to civilians as Ukraine has intensified its recent campaign to disrupt supply lines and the electrical grid at the height of the summer tourist season.
The peninsula was seized by force and illegally annexed by Moscow in 2014. Ukraine's increasing use of long-range strikes has highlighted its ability to inflict painful damage on Russia and put added pressure on the Kremlin while Moscow's advances recently have ground to a near halt, Western ****** ysts and officials say.
Ukrainian Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov said last week that his forces are "isolating Crimea with drones."
"It looks like in the nearest time, Crimea will become an island. This could lead to some very unexpected consequences for Russians," Fedorov said on a blogger's YouTube channel.