Mudryk receives full Chelsea dressing room support ahead of potential return against Juventus

Published Aug 1, 04:03 PM UTC

Chelsea winger Mykhailo Mudryk is set to make his long-awaited return to competitive football after a four-year doping ban was lifted in late July 2025. The 25-year-old Ukrainian, who has not played for Chelsea since November 2024, was provisionally suspended in December 2024 after testing positive for meldonium. He was formally charged by the FA in June 2025, appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport in February 2026, and won his case. The entire Chelsea squad, led by Colwill and Reece James, showed public support on social media. Mudryk is expected to join the team in Hong Kong for a friendly against Juventus on Wednesday. Head coach Xabi Alonso described Mudryk as a 'special' player but cautioned that he will need time to reintegrate after training alone for an extended period.