Juventus Champions League The campaign ended in dramatic and controversial fashion as Galatasaray progressed 7-5 on aggregate after an extra-time thriller at the Allianz Stadium, a tie that will be remembered as much for a disputed red card as for football.
The evening started for a moment in the 49th minute when Lloyd Kellyalready on a yellow card, he initially received a second booking for a foul on Baris Yilmaz. Referee Joao Pinheiro was then called to the pitch monitor, prompting anticipation among the home crowd that the decision would be overturned. Instead, it got tougher – Kelly’s second yellow was upgraded to a straight red after Pinheiro adjudged the former Bournemouth and Newcastle defender had committed a serious foul by landing on Yilmaz’s Achilles heel during an aerial challenge.
Kelly made his feelings clear, kicking a wall in the tunnel as he left the field.
The expulsion came at a critical time. Juventus, already 5-2 down from the first leg, took a 1-0 lead on the night and were chasing an unlikely turnaround. Remarkably, even with ten men, they battled back from a 3-0 lead to level the tie at 5-5 and force extra time. But the numerical disadvantage eventually told, with Victor Osimhen and Yilmaz striking late to see the Turkish side through.
The red card immediately sparked a heated debate. Under VAR protocol, the system will not step in to review yellow cards, but once the referee goes to the monitor for his own review, he retains full authority to reach any conclusion he sees fit. This technicality allowed the upgrade from yellow to red, although a second yellow drop was never on the table.
The decision drew harsh criticism from experts. ancient Premier League defender Curtis Davies called it “an absolute disgrace”, arguing that Kelly had squarely challenged the boss and had no control over where it landed. Football journalist Rory Smith echoed this view, while ex Tottenham Midfielder Andy Reid has warned that football is “getting closer and closer to being a non-contact sport”.
Not everyone agreed that the red card was wrong in principle. Former Manchester City defender Nedum Onuoha acknowledged Kelly’s frustration but suggested that, given how the laws are currently enforced, “it will always be red”. Former Liverpool full-back Stephen Warnock, however, was adamant: “I don’t agree with it because it’s purely accidental.”
The controversy comes at a particularly awkward time for football lawmakers. The International Football Association Board is expected this weekend to approve VAR reviews for wrongly awarded second yellow cards, a reform that in theory would have been directly relevant to Kelly’s situation. Whether that change would have produced a better outcome, given the judgment shown Tuesday night, remains an open question.
Kelly will serve a one-game European ban which, with Juventus now eliminated, will carry over to next season.
