Overview
After Teun Koopmeiners' double helped Juventus come back from an early goal, the away team's fans once dreamed of a memorable European night. However, instead of triumphant songs, they witnessed one of their team's worst defeats in the continental arena, right in the heart of Turkey last week.
Juventus completely collapsed in a one-sided second half. Juan Cabal - who came on as a substitute - had a forgettable performance and received a red card, while Noa Lang, a player loaned from Napoli, scored a double to help Galatasaray create a deep gap.
This is only the second time Juventus has conceded 5 or more goals in UEFA tournaments, and the first time since the 0-7 defeat to Wiener Sport-Club in the 1958-1959 Champions League season.
To reverse the situation, Juventus will need a miracle. In 49 cases where teams lost the first leg of the Champions League knockout round with a difference of 3 goals or more, only 4 teams could win tickets to the next round.
The two-time European champion is sinking into crisis. They just lost in the Italian derby to Inter Milan, and then continued to disappoint when they collapsed against Como.
The home unbeaten streak in Serie A, which has lasted since last season, also officially closed after a lackluster 0-2 defeat in Turin to a top 4 rival. With 46 points - 4 points behind the Champions League spot - this is Juventus' worst record in this period since 2011. The great battle with Roma (currently ranked fourth) this weekend is therefore vital for both of them.
In the immediate future, Luciano Spalletti's team must regain honor with their first victory against Galatasaray after 22 years.
Last week's resounding victory helped Galatasaray lose only one of their seven encounters with Juventus, while equaling their record for the biggest win in the Champions League. It was also the 200th match of the Turkish representative in the C1/Champions League - a memorable milestone opening up hope of passing the knockout round for the first time since 2014.
If they advance, Okan Buruk's team can dream of a clash in the round of 16 with "big guys" like Liverpool or Tottenham Hotspur. History also supports them. Galatasaray once surpassed all 11 UEFA matches they won in the first leg with a difference of at least 3 goals.
In the domestic league, Galatasaray is aiming for their fourth consecutive Super Lig title. However, 4 days after destroying Juventus, they unexpectedly succumbed 0-2 to Konyaspor - a team that had previously gone through a 12-match winless streak.
Despite possessing a formidable attack with Victor Osimhen and Mauro Icardi, that defeat shows the gaps in defense. This will also be a faint glimmer of hope for Juventus to cling to.
Away field statistics in the Champions League are also not very positive for Galatasaray. In the past few decades, they have lost 71% of away matches. Recently, the Turkish representative has lost 9 and only won 1 in the last 13 trips to this prestigious arena.
Expected lineup:
Perin, Gatti, Bremer, Kelly, McKennie, Locatelli, Thuram, Kostic, Conceicao, Yildiz, David.
Cakir, Sallai, Bardakci, Sanchez, Jakobs, Torreira, Sara, Yilmaz, Akgun, Lang, Osimhen.
The match between Juventus and Galatasaray takes place at 3:00 AM on February 26 (Vietnam time).
