Giorgio Chiellini Earns First MLS Yellow Card For Outrageous Volleyball Maneuver

Giorgio Chiellini picked up the first yellow card of his Major League Soccer career on Saturday night and it was 100% deserved.

The 37-year-old defender, making his fourth MLS appearance since joining Los Angeles FC from Juventus, received the booking for a deliberate handball in the 69th minute of his side's 4-1 win at Real Salt Lake.

Chiellini misread the bounce of a long ball forward and, after realizing it was set to go over his head into the path of Sergio Cordova, he performed a two-handed volleyball shot to stop the Salt Lake attack.

Home fans demanded a red card but Chiellini was only cautioned. There had been sufficient cover and distance between Chiellini and the LAFC goal for his offense to not be deemed as an illegal denial of a clear scoring opportunity.

Giorgio Chiellini (right) pictured receiving the first yellow card of his MLS career during LAFC's 4-1 win at Real Salt Lake

TUDN/Twitter/@MLS

Chiellini did leave the field less than five minutes later though when he was subbed off to make way for Eddie Segura.

LAFC reserve goalkeeper John McCarthy playfully mocked Chiellini as he returned to the bench by offering him a pair of gloves.

Former Italy ace Chiellini has yet to complete a full 90 minutes for LAFC.

His MLS outings to date have lasted 60, 45, 71 and 73 minutes, with LAFC winning all of those games.

Cristian Arango scored twice for LAFC on Saturday night, either side of a Kellyn Acosta strike, before Gareth Bale came off the bench to score a brilliant fourth.

Cordova scored for Salt Lake.