Alonso hails 'emotional' Mudryk return in 1-0 loss to Juventus

Chelsea’s Aaron Anselmino and Juventus’ Zeki Celik compete for the ball during their football match at Kai Tak Stadium in Hong Kong on August 5, 2026. [AFP]

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.

"He was thrilled, for sure. After such a long period, to be back on the pitch, it was a great feeling for him."

Neither side could find the breakthrough in a drab first half as two experimental line-ups struggled to create clear-cut chances.

Danny Welbeck could have scored a goal on his Chelsea debut but the veteran England striker failed to direct a flicked header on target after 11 minutes.

Juventus came closest a few minutes before half-time when midfielder Jeremie Boga took aim from just outside the penalty area and forced Blues keeper Robert Sanchez into a diving save.

Early in the second period a long ball from Chelsea skipper Moises Caicedo put full-back Marco Palestra in on goal but his tame shot could not beat Mattia Perin.

Juventus finally broke the deadlock with a moment of magic in the 68th minute, Kenan Yildiz squaring for Zhegrova who curled a stunning strike into the top corner from outside the box.

Both sides rang the changes but Chelsea could not find a cutting edge.

"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 August 23.