Mykhailo Mudryk made his first competitive appearance in 20 months but could not prevent Chelsea slipping to another defeat in what is rapidly turning into a disappointing pre-season tour of Asia.
The Ukraine winger had not played since November 2024 after testing positive for the banned substance meldonium but saw his case resolved earlier than expected last week. He jetted out immediately to join the Chelsea squad in Hong Kong and was thrust into the action to a warm reception from the crowd with eight minutes to go.
It was not really enough time for Mudryk to get involved in a fractious encounter that saw four players booked.
And while he will steal the headlines, it was Juventus who took the win thanks to Edon Zhegrova’s lovely curling effort midway through the second half.
more to follow
