"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," Xabi Alonso told BBC Sport about Mykhailo Mudryk. That is the clearest update yet on the winger's status after a long absence. Chelsea have named him in the squad to face Juventus in Wednesday's friendly in Hong Kong, but Alonso is treating this as a reintroduction, not a full comeback.

Mudryk has not played a competitive match since November 2024. Alonso's message was pretty sensible: selection is one thing, match sharpness is another, especially after such a long spell away from team football.

Alonso's message on Mudryk's return

Alonso struck the same note when he spoke about Mudryk's first days back with the group. Speaking to the Standard, he said: "We are thrilled that Misha could be with us. We are thrilled. I think that you could see his smile, how great it was for him to be part of a team, because he's been a long time training on his own."

That last part matters more than the emotion. Mudryk has been out of the team environment for a long stretch, so the first job is basic reintegration: passing patterns, timing, and getting used to teammates again. Alonso put it plainly in another Standard quote: "And fitness level, we will see. But he has been working hard, and now it's about trying to get to do things, passing the ball to teammates, having to integrate in the dynamic. But the first feeling from everyone, we are happy that he's back with us in the team."

There is no need to overcomplicate that. Players can keep themselves in shape alone, but team rhythm is different, especially for a wide player whose game depends on receiving early, attacking space and combining quickly around him.

The numbers from before the layoff also explain why Chelsea will not want to rush him. Mudryk averaged 83.4 minutes across his last five matches, so he had been operating on a heavy workload before everything stopped. He also scored twice in those five games, including in Chelsea's 2-0 Conference League win away to Heidenheim on 28 November 2024, his last competitive appearance.

The long layoff behind this comeback

Mudryk's absence followed an adverse finding for banned substance meldonium, which led to a provisional suspension. That much is consistent. The exact sequence after that is less tidy.

BBC Sport reported that he was provisionally suspended after the adverse finding and later cleared to return. The Standard reported that he was charged in June 2025 and banned for four years following a January hearing before later resolving the appeal with the FA. With those details not fully aligned, the safest point is the practical one: Mudryk is back with the squad and available for selection in this friendly.

Alonso's comments also suggest the decision is being treated as a fresh starting point rather than a dramatic reset. "We trained yesterday. He 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 assess the fitness level," he told the Standard.

That is probably the right approach from Chelsea. A player returning after 20 months out was never likely to go straight into a full match, and Alonso has not pretended otherwise.

Chelsea's next step in Hong Kong

The Juventus game is useful because it gives Chelsea a controlled setting to reintroduce Mudryk without having to sell the idea that he is fully ready. He can be selected, he may get minutes, and the staff can judge his level in a live match again.

For Mudryk, the immediate target is simpler than any big comeback narrative. He needs time back in a team setting and time back on the pitch. Chelsea face Juventus on Wednesday in Hong Kong, and Alonso has already set the limit: available, yes; ready for 90 minutes, no.

FAQ

Will Mykhailo Mudryk play for Chelsea against Juventus?

Xabi Alonso says Mykhailo Mudryk can play against Juventus because he has been selected in Chelsea’s squad for the friendly in Hong Kong. Alonso also made clear that 90 minutes is too early, so any return would be managed rather than a full match.

Why is Mykhailo Mudryk not ready for 90 minutes yet?

Mudryk has not played a competitive match since November 2024 and Alonso said the main focus now is fitness and reintegration. He has been training on his own for a long period, so Chelsea are easing him back into team work and match action carefully.

What happened in Mykhailo Mudryk’s disciplinary case?

The broad point is clear: Mudryk’s absence followed an adverse finding for meldonium and a long anti-doping process. The exact timeline is less clear, because BBC Sport and the Standard describe the sequence differently, so the safer reading is that his case has now been resolved enough for Chelsea to name him in the squad.

Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 2 outlets. How we work →