Juventus vs Galatasaray: Champions League Second Leg Live Tonight — Juve Need a Miracle at Allianz Stadium
Juventus vs Galatasaray kicks off at 3:00 PM ET on Wednesday, February 25, at Allianz Stadium in Turin with the Old Lady facing one of the steepest climbs in recent Champions League memory. Galatasaray lead 5-2 on aggregate after a stunning first-leg performance in Istanbul, and the Turkish giants arrive in Italy needing only to avoid a three-goal collapse to seal their place in the round of 16.
First Leg Recap: Galatasaray 5-2 Juventus — An Istanbul Masterclass
Galatasaray came from 2-1 down at half-time to score four in the second period and win a pulsating encounter against ten-man Juventus. Gabriel Sara curled the hosts into the lead after 15 minutes, but a Teun Koopmeiners double turned things around.
The final scoreline was Galatasaray 5, Juventus 2. Noa Lang scored twice, while Gabriel Sara, Davinson Sánchez, and Sacha Boey also found the net for Galatasaray. Teun Koopmeiners netted both Juventus goals, in the 16th and 32nd minutes, with Juan Cabal also scoring for the Bianconeri before his dismissal. The red card to Cabal was the turning point that handed Galatasaray an open field.
What Juventus Need and Why History Is Against Them
Juventus have never overcome a three-goal deficit in this competition. They were utterly reliant on a Cristiano Ronaldo hat-trick the last time they were able to mount a second leg comeback. Tonight they need to win by four goals or more — without conceding — to progress on aggregate. No team in their current form looks capable of that.
A 2-0 loss to Como on Saturday means Juve, who started so impressively under their new manager, have lost four of their previous five games. The form collapse could not have come at a worse time for a match that demands their best performance of the season.
Key Absences Pile Pressure on Juventus
Juan Cabal is suspended after his two yellow cards in the first leg. Andrea Cambiaso also picked up his third booking of the Champions League campaign last week and serves a one-game suspension. The absence of both left backs may force a drastic switch, with Spalletti potentially opting for a three-man defence.
Gleison Bremer could be back in action on Wednesday after missing the Como defeat at the weekend. His return gives the Juventus backline significantly more authority. Without him, Juve's defensive vulnerability in the first leg was ruthlessly exposed.
Galatasaray Arrive Confident But Short on Rest
Victor Osimhen was excluded from the Galatasaray squad at the weekend due to a minor knee issue, but he has traveled to Turin for the second leg. The Nigerian is fit for the away side. Mario Lemina also returns from suspension and is expected to partner Gabriel Sara in midfield, giving Galatasaray fresh legs and an extra layer of control in the middle of the park.
Galatasaray lost on the road in their previous game, falling 2-0 to Konyaspor in the Super Lig. That result adds a layer of unpredictability to tonight's clash, even if the aggregate score makes their task largely a damage-limitation exercise.
Predicted Lineups: Juventus vs Galatasaray
Juventus predicted lineup in a 4-4-2: Di Gregorio; Kalulu, Gatti, Kelly, McKennie; Locatelli, Thuram, Kostić, Conceição; Yıldız, Jonathan David. Galatasaray predicted lineup in a 4-2-3-1: Çakır; Sallai, Sánchez, Bardakçı, Jakobs; Torreira, Lemina; Yılmaz, Sara, Lang; Osimhen.
Where to Watch Juventus vs Galatasaray Tonight
The Juventus vs Galatasaray Champions League second leg is available in the United States at 3:00 PM ET on TUDN. The match takes place at Allianz Stadium in Turin, Italy, with a capacity crowd expected to roar the hosts on in what would need to be one of the most extraordinary comebacks in competition history. Galatasaray has yet to win in 13 away games against Italian clubs in major European competitions, which offers Juve fans a thin thread of hope — but the mountain to climb remains near-impossible.
