Juventus fall in extra time after heroic comeback bid; Spalletti out of Champions despite late rally
In a night of high drama juventus produced a stirring comeback to force extra time against Galatasaray but were eliminated when Victor Osimhen and Barış Yılmaz struck in the two extra periods. The Bianconeri had overturned part of the first-leg deficit with goals from Locatelli (from the penalty spot), Gatti and Weston McKennie, only to see qualification slip away in the closing stages of extra time; coach Spalletti is now out of the Champions League.
Juventus fightback: three goals and agonising extra-time defeat
Juventus reduced the aggregate gap with a first-half penalty by Locatelli and second-half strikes by Gatti and McKennie, coming from a match in which they registered 28 shots — a record for the club in this edition of the competition. The comeback brought hopes of a historic recovery from the 5-2 first-leg deficit, but in extra time Galatasaray responded with a goal in each period: Victor Osimhen and Barış Yılmaz secured the win for the visitors. Osimhen’s goal marked his seventh in this edition and his third career goal against Juventus; Yılmaz’s strike was his first in this Champions League campaign.
Spalletti’s selections and the Di Gregorio decision
Spalletti confirmed pre-match that Di Gregorio would be dropped to the bench after a run of high-profile mistakes, including errors in matches against Inter, in the first leg with Galatasaray and versus Como. Perin was restored as starter; the coach said this measure could be for "2-3 matches" to allow the goalkeeper to regain confidence. Spalletti also chose not to risk Bremer and deployed Weston McKennie as a low left-sided option, covering for the suspended Cambiaso and Cabal.
Tactical tweaks, early chances and the spark that didn’t arrive
The Allianz hosted 41, 000 supporters who shouted chants such as "Vogliamo questa vittoria" and "Undici leoni" and tried to lift the team. Giorgio Chiellini had urged a pre-match "scintilla", but the spark failed to materialise early: inside the first 10 minutes both Gatti and Koopmeiners missed headed opportunities from favourable positions. Tactically, Spalletti asked Thuram to shift left to create overloads against Sallai and Yilmaz and to bring Kenan Yildiz closer to David. From the 22nd minute Juventus attempted three long-range efforts through Locatelli, Conceiçao and Yildiz, while a turnover by Sanchez started the sequence that led to the Locatelli penalty after a David touch and a challenge in the area.
Red card, missed chances and late drama
Early in the second half Kelly was sent off — a dismissal described as excessive — forcing Juventus to play a half under numerical disadvantage for the third time in their last four matches. Despite the sending-off the team still found the goals that brought the tie to extra time. Zhegrova missed a crucial opportunity about ten minutes before Osimhen’s decisive strike that would have given Juventus a lead on aggregate and a path to the last 16. Late in the extra periods, Juventus continued to press: at 109' substitutions included Openda and Kostic on for Kalulu and Locatelli as Spalletti went all-in; at 110' Zhegrova’s powerful attempt was kept out by Cakir, and at 114' a Boga shot flew over.
Galatasaray’s game management, refereeing interruptions and lineup decisions
Okan Buruk countered with a compact 4-4-2 and reinforced the midfield by replacing Akgun with former player Lemina, relying on the pace and transitions of Yilmaz, Lang and Osimhen to unsettle Juventus. The match was repeatedly broken by extended stoppages: several Galatasaray players went to ground for prolonged periods and referee Pinheiro frequently halted play, a pattern that angered Spalletti and disrupted Juventus’ rhythm. In the second half, a Torreira effort from distance was saved by Perin as Galatasaray tried to press in the closing stages of extra time.
Wider ramifications: Italian teams and what comes next for Juventus
The elimination leaves Juventus outside the Champions bracket while Atalanta emerged as the only Italian side to reach the last 16 after overturning Borussia Dortmund; Inter were eliminated by Bodo/Glimt. The full knockout bracket will be finalised at the draw on 27 February. Domestically, the club views chasing fourth place as the only remaining objective, and the side will attempt to carry the spirit of this performance into the next league clash — a direct confrontation in Rome on Sunday. Despite the crushing nature of the exit, the night offered signs of resilience that Juventus hope to build on in the run-in.
Additional match details: Kenan Yildiz produced six attempts during the game; Weston McKennie now totals four goals in this Champions League edition; Juventus’ 28 shots set a club record for this campaign. During extra time substitutions and attacking moves underlined the all-out approach required to try to force penalties or overturn the tie, but Osimhen and Barış Yılmaz ultimately sealed Galatasaray’s progression.
