Watch: Newcastle United flop gets straight red card in Champions League play-off - odd decision or spot on?
Newcastle United fans are probably fed up to the back teeth with contentious referee decisions this season, but last night's decision to send off Lloyd Kelly for Juventus has split the internet right down the middle.
Lloyd Kelly seems to be finding his feet at Juventus after his swift exit from Newcastle United just six months after her arrived at the club on a free transfer from Bournemouth.
Juventus took Kelly on loan with an obligation to buy for £20 million, and despite an horrendous start in Italy, the Old Lady were obligated to make his move a permanent one.
Since then, though, he's become a regular figure in the Juventus starting lineup, although he will miss their next games in the Champions League next season, should they qualify, after picking up a straight red card last night in their defeat to Galatasaray in the play-off.
Juventus couldn't overcome Galatasaray's advantage and went crashing out of the Champions League
Juve won on the night, but they couldn't overcome the deficit from the Turkish side's first-leg win. Things weren't helped when the referee took advantage of VAR to overturn a yellow card for Lloyd Kelly and brandish a straight red instead, just 48 minutes.
Kelly went up for a header, and when he came down to land, he trod on Baris Alper Yilmaz's ankle, sending the Turkish winger to the floor.
Initially, Kelly received a yellow card, which would have been his second, resulting in a sending off anyway. But after a VAR review, it was changed to a straight red, and the former Toon full-back couldn't believe what he'd seen.
Was Lloyd Kelly's red card justified or harsh?
It really depends on where you're looking when the foul occurs
BBCMOTD posted the clip on X, and reading the replies, it shows how hard a referee's job can be. You've got half the people saying it was intentional and others asking how he was supposed to avoid the contact.
I've watched it many times, and for me, it's all about where you're looking at one key moment. If you watch Kelly's feet, there's an unnatural movement towards Yilmaz's ankle that looks intentional.
However, if you watch his head, Kelly never takes his eye off the ball, so it looks purely accidental.
Where do you stand on the incident?
