Willy Gnonto, Leeds United, Italy U21s
Credit: Imago / Italy YouTube
Keith Hackett
Thu 26 June 2025 12:00, UK
Keith Hackett wants rules around second yellow cards changed after Leeds United star Willy Gnonto was sent off for Italy Under-21s.
The former PGMOL chief and ex-FIFA official exclusively told Football Insider that the current rules are unfair to players who may have been wrongly punished with a first caution.
During an edge-of-your-seat five-goal thriller between Italy and Germany U21s on Sunday, 22 June, the 21-year-old picked up a yellow card on the hour mark before being sent off 10 minutes from full-time.
Despite the one-man advantage and an eventual two-man advantage with Mattia Zanotti also sent off, the Azzurri took the game to extra time in the quarter-finals before finally conceding the winner in the 117th minute.
Quarter-final drama at the U21 Euros! 😱
Italy had two players sent off, including Leeds United’s Wilfried Gnonto, before Germany scored a late extra-time winner in Slovakia. pic.twitter.com/1T6BqVBxDi
— Match of the Day (@BBCMOTD) June 22, 2025
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Leeds United star knocked out of Euro U21
Gnonto, who was given limited game time by Daniel Farke last season, faced plenty of abuse after Italy were knocked out of the competition, with much of it being racially motivated for the Leeds star.
There is never any acceptable reason for that, and now, Hackett believes that referee Manfredas Lukjancukas made a clear and obvious error, which should have allowed it to be reviewed by VAR.
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Of course, current rules state that second yellow cards, leading to a sending-off, cannot be checked by the technology, not allowing the referee to amend his mistake and changing the course of the game.
Wilfried Gnonto injustice sparks yellow card debate
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, the former referee said: “I share that view. I absolutely share that view. Then, you’ll get the argument that all yellow cards should be reviewed, because it could be the first one that is questionable.
“But I do think that VAR should be able to interrogate incidents in this situation, where there is a second yellow leading to a red. My view is that any yellow card that’s been issued and is a clear and obvious error should be reviewed.
Keith Hackett
Keith Hackett has called for a new rule change.
“It’s easy for the referee. If he gets it wrong, VAR just need to say, ‘you need to take another look at that one’. It might well be that some yellow cards should be a straight red card. Review it.
“The governing bodies don’t want to get involved in appeals against yellow cards because they’ll be inundated. From an administrative point of view, I understand it.
“In football, however, they are essentially saying that these players are being sent off, and it could be wrong. It’s unfair on the player.”
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