Ucl: Juventus must overturn 5-2 deficit in ucl playoff vs Galatasaray
Juventus hosts Galatasaray in the second leg of the Champions League playoff on Wednesday, February 25, 2026, and the result is decisive: the Old Lady lost the first leg 5-2 and must win by at least three goals to force extra time. The match is listed with a kickoff of 8pm GMT (21: 00 CET), and it matters now because Juventus face a steep comeback task and intense pressure at home.
Match date, kickoff times and stadium naming
The fixture is set for Wednesday, February 25, 2026, with a kickoff time given as 8pm GMT and also listed as 21: 00 CET. One report names the venue as the Juventus Stadium; another reference names the venue as the Allianz Stadium, unclear in the provided context which name is final for this match.
Ucl stakes after the 5-2 defeat and Spalletti’s appeal
Juventus conceded a 5-2 loss in the first leg and are described as being under immense pressure against the Istanbul side. The Bianconeri led the first leg 2-1 at half-time but lost 5-2 in Turkiye following a red card for substitute Juan Cabal. That 5-2 defeat was only the second time Juventus have conceded five or more goals in a match in major European competition, after a 7-0 loss to Wiener Sport-Club in the 1958-59 European Cup.
Luciano Spalletti has called on his side "to be more solid than we have been" ahead of the Champions League play-off second leg against Galatasaray. He said: "Some games aren’t just played, but composed. " He added: "It requires the involvement and participation of the whole environment, and we need the spirit of our fans. We know it’s a delicate situation, but we’re asking them to stand by our side tomorrow. With them by our side, we are stronger. "
Spalletti continued: "We need to be more solid than we have been. We know our worth, we need to be united and compact. We are hammering this home with the guys. We have to show that what we are right now, is not what we’ve shown. We’ve reset, and we’re ready to play the match at our best level. Hard times don’t take away your value, they force you to show it. We won’t live a dream, we’ll live a situation that we’ve earned. We’ll have to go for it, remembering all the efforts we’ve made to be at this level. It is a reward for what we’ve put in to get here. "
How rare a comeback would be at Allianz/Juventus Stadium
Before this season there have been 49 occasions of a team losing the first leg of a Champions League knockout-stage tie by at least three goals. Only four of those teams progressed: Deportivo de La Coruna in 2003-04 against AC Milan; Barcelona in 2016-17 against Paris Saint-Germain; Roma in 2017-18 against Barcelona; and Liverpool in 2018-19 against Barcelona. Spalletti is hopeful Juventus can join that exclusive group at Allianz Stadium on Wednesday, but he insists they will need the full support of the fans.
Probable lineups for Juventus and Galatasaray
Probable Juventus XI listed: Di Gregorio; Kalulu, Gatti, Kelly; McKennie, Thuram, Locatelli, Kostic; Conceicao, David, Miretti.
Probable Galatasaray XI listed: Cakir; Sallai, Sanchez, Bardacki, Jakobs; Torreira, Sara; Yilmaz, Akgün, Lang; Osimhen.
Juventus Football Club S. p. A. contact and corporate details
Club details provided list Juventus Football Club S. p. A., Druento, 175, 10151 Torino - Italia. CONTACT CENTER: (+39) 011. 45. 30. 486, Monday to Friday (9 am – 8 pm) and Saturday (9 am – 3 pm), excluding holidays. The cost of the service changes the tariff plan signed with your telecom provider and does not include any additional cost. The company share capital is €16. 731. 359, 80 fully paid up. Companies Register, Tax Code and VAT Number 00470470014 - REA no. 394963.
