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 during a 1-0 friendly defeat by Juventus in Hong Kong on Wednesday.

Mudryk made his entrance as a substitute for Nicolas Jackson in the 82nd minute, earning applause from teammates and cheers from the 43,575 fans at Kai Tak Sports Park. The Ukraine international had not participated in a competitive match since November 2024, following a provisional suspension due to an “adverse finding” for the banned substance meldonium. He was cleared to return after resolving the case with the Football Association.

Despite a lively cameo, Mudryk could not prevent Juventus from claiming victory thanks to a stunning second-half strike from Edon Zhegrova. Alonso expressed his support, stating, “Really pleased for him. It was emotional for everyone from the club to see him back.”

The match began slowly, with neither side managing to break through in a lackluster first half. Notable moments included:

• Danny Welbeck missing a header on his Chelsea debut.
• Moisés Caicedo assisting Marco Palestra, whose shot failed to challenge Mattia Perin.

Juventus finally scored in the 68th minute, with Kenan Yildiz setting up Zhegrova for a remarkable goal from outside the box. Despite making several substitutions, Chelsea struggled to find their rhythm. Alonso commented, “Unluckily we didn’t get to win, but for sure it’s the process, it’s minutes for everyone.”

In a separate match, Christopher Nkunku equalized for AC Milan with a penalty in a 1-1 draw against Inter in Perth, marking their first game after the passing of club legend Franco Baresi.