Chelsea head coach Xabi Alonso has confirmed that Mykhailo Mudryk will be involved in the club’s pre-season fixture against Juventus as the winger returns to competitive action.
Speaking at his pre-match press conference in Hong Kong, Alonso revealed that the Ukrainian is available for selection ahead of Chelsea’s third game of their pre-season tour.
The Blues travelled more than 4,500 miles from Sydney to Hong Kong for the next stage of their four-country tour, with Juventus scheduled to face them on Wednesday at the 50,000-capacity Kai Tak Stadium.
Mudryk’s return was the main focus of Alonso’s media briefing after the 25-year-old was cleared to resume football following the conclusion of his anti-doping suspension last week.
The winger rejoined his teammates on Tuesday, with Alonso praising his professionalism while stressing the need for a gradual return to full fitness.
“He has been training alone for a long time. It is different now; he needs to engage with his teammates. He is very professional. The goal now is to progress gradually.
“He arrived directly from the airport to the hotel. Yesterday was more about emotions and feelings rather than evaluating his fitness. However, he is eligible to play. While 90 minutes may be too soon, he can be selected and participate.
“We are excited that Misha is back with us. You could see his smile and the joy he feels to return. As for his fitness level, we will assess that. He has been putting in a lot of effort. Now, it is about integrating him into team activities.”
