Galatasaray Advances in Champions League After Thrilling Tie with Juventus

Galatasaray secured their place in the Champions League Round of 16, overcoming a spirited fightback from Juventus in a dramatic second leg playoff clash at the Allianz Stadium in Turin on Wednesday, February 25, 2026. The Turkish side prevailed 3-2 on the night, and 7-5 on aggregate, after a match that went to extra time.

Match Recap

The match ended 3-2 in favor of Galatasaray after extra time, completing a 7-5 aggregate victory following their 5-2 win in the first leg on February 17, 2026, in Istanbul ESPN. Juventus fought valiantly, but ultimately fell short of overturning the first-leg deficit.

Key Moments

• First Leg Dominance: Galatasaray initially took a commanding lead with a 5-2 victory in the first leg, featuring goals from Gabriel Sara, Noa Lang (two goals), Davinson Sánchez, and Sacha Boey ESPN. Teun Koopmeiners scored both goals for Juventus in that match.
• Juventus Fightback: Despite a challenging first leg, Juventus showed resilience in the second leg, pushing Galatasaray to extra time.
• Extra Time Decider: Baris Alper Yilmaz scored for Galatasaray in the 118th minute of extra time, extending their lead to 3-2 on the night and sealing their progression AS USA.
• Late Drama: The match saw a flurry of activity in the final minutes, including a goal for Juventus and a yellow card for Ugurcan Çakir of Galatasaray AS USA.

Team Lineups

Juventus Starting XI: M. Perin, W. McKennie, L. Kelly, F. Gatti, P. Kalulu, K. Thuram, M. Locatelli, T. Koopmeiners, K. Yıldız, J. David, F. Conceição BBC.

Galatasaray Starting XI: U. Çakır, I. Jakobs, A. Bardakcı, D. Sánchez, R. Sallai, M. Lemina, L. Torreira, N. Lang, G. Sara, B. Yılmaz, V. Osimhen BBC.

What’s Next for Galatasaray?

Galatasaray will now advance to the Round of 16 of the Champions League, where they will face a yet-to-be-determined opponent. This marks their first appearance in the knockout stages since 2014 ESPN.