It has been a wild few days for former Bournemouth and Newcastle United defender Lloyd Kelly – the sort of week that turns a player into a cult hero with a club’s fans.
And this is no ordinary club. This is Juventus, arguably the most famous club in Italy and one of the superpowers of European football.
First, Kelly netted his first goal for Juve on Saturday, helping them to a 4-3 victory against last season’s Champions League finalists Inter Milan in the iconic Derby d’Italia.
Then the former England Under-21 centre-back grabbed a dramatic late equaliser in Tuesday’s incredible 4-4 draw at home to Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League.
His goal against Dortmund was the first time an English player had scored for the Italian club in the Champions League – and the second Briton to do so, after Welshman Aaron Ramsey, who poked home a Cristiano Ronaldo free-kick in 2019.
The 26-year-old went from villain to hero against Dortmund, having given away a penalty as his side trailed 4-2 going into the fourth minute into added time.
However the ‘Old Lady’ rallied and scored twice in two minutes to somehow earn a draw, with Kelly’s equaliser coming in the 96th minute.
Four days earlier against Inter, Kelly opened the scoring at Allianz Stadium – the first top-flight goal of his career – in his 22nd appearance for Juve in all competitions.
It made him the first English defender to score for the Turin club in Serie A.
Kelly, who joined Juventus in February, did not score in the Premier League during his time at Bournemouth or Newcastle, and his previous goal – in a Cherries FA Cup tie – was 18 months ago.
Now he has now scored in back-to-back matches for the first time in his career – in one of Italy’s biggest fixtures and a Champions League thriller.
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