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Alonso delighted at Mudryk doping resolution but Chelsea lose to Spurs in Sydney
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SYDNEY, Aug 1 (Reuters) - Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso said he was delighted that Mykhailo Mudryk had been cleared to return to play after being sidelined for nearly two years following a positive dope test.
The Ukrainian winger last played for Chelsea in November 2024 but was granted leave to return to action immediately on Friday after the English FA resolved his disciplinary proceedings in agreement with the World Anti-Doping Agency.
Speaking after Chelsea went down 2-1 to London rivals Tottenham Hotspur in front of a crowd of 80,363 in Sydney on Saturday, Alonso said Mudryk would join the squad in Hong Kong for the next leg of their pre-season tour.
"I am very happy for him, for me also but mostly for him," the Spaniard told reporters.
"We want him to feel part of the team because he's been training on his own for so long. We have to see (about his future) because he's not been playing for a long time.
"To be honest, we were not expecting to have this great news."
Tottenham boss Roberto De Zerbi, who coached Mudryk at Shakhtar Donetsk before he joined Chelsea, also welcomed the news.
"He's a lovely guy and a great player," he said. "I hope he can show that in this coming season after all his suffering over the last two years."
De Zerbi said Saturday's last-gasp victory over Chelsea, even in a friendly, was important to his team, particularly after their disappointing 2025-26 campaign.
The club's big-money signing Sandro Tonali opened the scoring in the 17th minute but Brazilian teenager Estevao headed home the equaliser four minutes later.
Halftime substitute Kevin Danso lasted just three minutes before he was sent off for pulling down Joao Pedro and depriving the Chelsea striker a goal-scoring opportunity.
Goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky made several fine saves to keep 10-man Spurs in the contest and Richarlison stole the victory in the last minute, tapping in the winner after Jamie Donley's shot came back off the post.
"We wanted to win, to lose is not something we want to do," Alonso said.
Alonso also welcomed the success of Chelsea's appeal against a suspended points deduction for breaches of the English FA's transfer regulations on Friday.
"Any issue that is sorted is a good thing," he said. "It can affect the team so I'm happy."
Reporting by Nick Mulvenney, editing by Clare Fallon