Mudryk in Blue Again: Returns to Action Against Juventus After 615-Day Suspension
The Ukrainian winger stepped back onto the pitch in a friendly in Hong Kong, ending an ordeal that began in November 2024.
The Ukrainian winger stepped back onto the pitch in a friendly in Hong Kong, ending an ordeal that began in November 2024.
Mykhailo Mudryk has once again donned the Chelsea jersey. After a staggering 615 days out due to a doping suspension, the Ukrainian footballer played in a friendly against Juventus on Wednesday at the Kai Tak Stadium in Hong Kong. The Italian club won 1-0, but the result was secondary, all eyes were on the return of the 23-year-old.
Mudryk got his chance in the 82nd minute, coming on for Nicolas Jackson. Although he played only a few minutes, simply stepping onto the pitch marked the end of one of the toughest periods of his career.
Mudryk's last official appearance for the London club was on November 28, 2024, in a 2-0 victory over Heidenheim in the Conference League. Just three days later, on December 1, he was on the bench against Aston Villa, before disappearing from the squad entirely. At the time, manager Enzo Maresca initially attributed his absence to illness.
The real reason emerged on December 17, 2024, when the English Football Association (FA) provisionally suspended him after a routine urine test revealed the presence of a banned substance. The official suspension was confirmed in June 2025, and last week, the FA finally cleared him to return to football activities. Mudryk immediately joined the squad in Hong Kong at the start of the week, where he began training.
Chelsea did not hide their satisfaction that the entire process had concluded. "This has been an incredibly difficult period for Misha from the start, both professionally and personally. We are delighted that this case has been closed and that he can immediately return to football," the London club stated.
Mudryk joined Chelsea in January 2023 from Ukrainian side Shakhtar Donetsk, following a fierce battle with London rivals Arsenal. The base transfer fee was €70 million, with a potential additional €30 million in bonuses, bringing the total to €100 million. His contract with the club runs until 2031.
Before the suspension, Mudryk made 73 appearances for Chelsea, scoring 10 goals and providing 11 assists. He was also a regular for the Ukrainian national team, for whom he scored three goals and provided five assists in 25 matches. According to Transfermarkt, he currently has no official market value due to the lengthy suspension.
