galatasaray vs juventus: Galatasaray roar back to win 5-2 in breathtaking first leg
Galatasaray produced a stunning second-half display to beat Juventus 5-2 in the Champions League play-off first leg, leaving the Turkish champions firmly in control heading to Turin. After falling behind in a frenetic first half, Galatasaray delivered a five-goal salvo — their first time scoring five in a Champions League match — to take a three-goal advantage into the return.
Match summary: turnaround, red card and relentless pressure
The tie swung wildly. Gabriel Sara gave the hosts the early lead, only for Juventus to respond swiftly with two goals from Teun Koopmeiners in a 17-minute burst to turn the game on its head and send the visitors into the break with a 2-1 advantage. But the momentum shifted decisively after half-time.
Noa Lang levelled before Davinson Sanchez put Galatasaray in front by the hour mark, completing a rapid response to Juventus' first-half revival. The situation worsened for Juventus when half-time substitute Juan Cabal received a second yellow card around the 66th minute, reducing the visitors to 10 men and altering the balance completely.
With the numerical edge, Galatasaray intensified their attack. Lang capitalised on defensive lapses to net his second and lift the crowd, and substitute Sacha Boey sealed the result with a late fifth. Juventus were unable to withstand the wave of pressure and will now travel to Turin with work to do if they are to overturn a three-goal deficit.
Tactical takeaways and what it means for the tie
The match exposed defensive frailties in Juventus’ setup and highlighted Galatasaray’s capacity to punish mistakes on the break. Juventus’ quick first-half response showed their quality going forward, but the sending-off and subsequent collapse in the second half underlined how quickly a tie at this level can change when a side is reduced.
Galatasaray’s manager will take heart from his side’s composure after conceding the lead and from the clinical finishing that followed. The hosts’ ability to recover and then press relentlessly after the red card created a gap that may prove decisive across the two legs. For Juventus, the focus will be on tightening defensive organisation and finding a way to counter the wide threats that caused problems in the return leg.
The return leg in Turin is scheduled for Wednesday, February 25 (3: 00 PM ET). Juventus must overturn a three-goal deficit, and will need a disciplined, clinical performance to do so — while Galatasaray can approach the second leg with momentum and belief after a historic home performance.
Context and historical note
This was the pair’s seventh meeting in European competition but the first in the knockout rounds; Galatasaray had lost only one of the previous six meetings. The result extended Galatasaray’s strong record at home against Italian opposition and marked their first five-goal haul in a Champions League fixture. It is also the Turkish side’s first knockout-stage match in the competition since the 2013-14 season, and they will head to Italy hoping to protect their sizable lead and reach the group stage.
Both teams now face a crucial week of preparation. Juventus must regroup quickly and address errors that were ruthlessly exploited, while Galatasaray will aim to strike the right balance between defending a lead and seeking further opportunities to finish the tie early.
