Galatasaray took a commanding lead in their Champions League playoff tie, thrushing Juventus 5-2 in the first leg.
THIS IS SAMI YEN, NO WAY OUT! #GSJUVE #UCL pic.twitter.com/vGsz6a4ePJ
— Galatasaray EN (@Galatasaray) February 17, 2026
Galatasaray dominated the match, scoring three times in the first half and adding two more in the second.
The hosts got off to a great start, with Gabriel Sara scoring after just 15 minutes but Juventus hit back immediately, with Teun Koopmeiners equalizing for the Bianconeri. The first half was a back-and-forth affair, with both teams creating chances.
Koopmeiners scored again just before the break, giving Juventus a 2-1 lead. Galatasaray responded in the second half with a stunning comeback, scoring three unanswered goals. Noa Lang tapped in an equalizer in the 49th minute, and Davinson Sanchez scored a header to put Gala ahead again.
Juventus were reduced to 10 men when Cabal received a second yellow card, and Galatasaray capitalized. Lang scored his second, and Sacha Boey added a fifth with a devastating finish.
The match was a thrilling one, with both teams playing attacking football. Galatasaray’s Victor Osimhen was a constant threat, and their midfield trio of Gabriel Sara, Baris Yilmaz, and Rolland Sallai was impressive.
Galatasaray now has a commanding lead, and they’ll be confident of progressing to the last 16. Juventus, on the other hand, will need a big response in the second leg to turn the tie around.
The Old Lady is facing a tough task, having won just one of their past six matches.
They also now received two red cards in back-to-back games and with a three goal deficit, it begs the question: can they bounce back, or will Galatasaray advance?
