UEFA explains the controversial decision to upgrade Lloyd Kelly’s booking to a straight red card during Juventus’ dramatic Champions League exit to Galatasaray.
While the dust is still settling on a chaotic night at the Allianz Stadium, UEFA has already moved to silence the skeptics. Following the dramatic Champions League exit of Juventus at the hands of Galatasaray, European football’s governing body issued an official statement regarding the dismissal of Lloyd Kelly.
🤔 𝗗𝗘𝗕𝗔𝗧𝗘: Should Lloyd Kelly be sent off for accidentally landing on Barış Yılmaz after going up for a header? pic.twitter.com/q3ZmbV3JWM
— Football Tweet ⚽ (@Footballtweet) February 25, 2026
As Juventus managed to deliver a staggering 3-0 lead to level the aggregate score, the momentum shifted permanently when Kelly was sent to the dressing room early in the second half.
This happened just three minutes after the restart, forcing referee João Pinheiro into a major decision. Initially, the official had only brandished a yellow card, Kelly’s second of the night, for a collision with Galatasaray’s Baris Alper Yilmaz. However, the VAR intervened, urging Pinheiro to view the pitchside monitor. This review resulted in the booking being upgraded to a straight red, a move that fundamentally altered the game for Juventus.
When Lloyd Kelly saw referee Joao Pinheiro heading for the pitchside monitor during Juventus’s Champions League defeat to Galatasaray, he must have had some hope.
The English defender had just been sent off early in the second half after receiving his second yellow card of the… pic.twitter.com/kVtA4HduVI
— The Athletic | Football (@TheAthleticFC) February 26, 2026
The incident happened as Kelly jumped to contest an aerial ball, inadvertently landing his studs directly onto Yilmaz’s left ankle upon his descent. To many watching in real-time, it appeared to be a textbook “accidental collision” following a natural jumping motion. However, modern officiating focuses heavily on the point of contact and the potential for injury, regardless of the player’s intent.
UEFA’s disciplinary note was remarkably firm, leaving little room for a successful appeal. The statement clarified that the Juventus defender made “strong, unfair contact” with his opponent’s ankle using his studs. Most importantly, the governing body concluded that the action “clearly endangered the safety” of the opponent. In the eyes of the officials, the force and placement of the foot outweighed the accidental nature of the jump.
❗️UEFA releases an official statement regarding Lloyd Kelly’s red card during the match against Galataray.
“The Juventus player, the number 6, using his cleats had a strong incorrect contact with the opponent’s left ankle, clearly jeopardizing his safety,” they said. pic.twitter.com/DZFJ2I4xKR
— Forza Juve. (@TheFJEN) February 26, 2026
The upgrade from a second yellow to a straight red carries heavy consequences beyond just the match itself. Because the card was upgraded, Kelly will now serve a two-match European suspension rather than the standard one-game ban for a double booking. This will have effect next season if Juventus make it to the UCL.
Juventus Director of Football Strategy, Giorgio Chiellini, was the man tasked with addressing the media after the heartbreak. While he avoided a direct tirade against the officials, his frustration was palpable. Chiellini praised the team’s “character” for fighting back from three goals down in the first leg but lamented a perceived lack of luck. He noted that while the team sent a strong message to their critics, these “marginal moments” are currently going against the club.
Ultimately, the red card proved to be the crack in the armor that Galatasaray needed. Despite the Bianconeri forcing the game into extra time through sheer willpower, the numerical disadvantage eventually told as Victor Osimhen and Yilmaz found the net to seal a 7-5 aggregate win.
Juventus now heads back to domestic duties with a sense of “what might have been,” while Galatasaray prepares for a historic Round of 16 appearance.
