Galatasaray pulled off a stunning 5–2 victory in the first leg of their Champions League knockout playoff tie, leaving Juventus with surely too much to do on Wednesday night.
The Bianconeri can’t be completely written off, but they enter the second leg in wretched form and potentially depleted in defence. They were well in last week’s opening fixture with the Turkish champions, but the contest tilted drastically when they were reduced to 10 men.
Juan Cabal’s dismissal allowed Galatasaray to run up the score in the final 25 minutes, and Okan Buruk’s side now look primed to reach the round of 16 for the first time since 2014.
However, Gala were beaten in the Süper Lig at the weekend, and must expect to be forced to weather a few storms in Turin on Wednesday.
Juventus have never overcome a three-goal deficit in this competition, and they were utterly reliant on a Cristiano Ronaldo hat-trick the last time they were able to mount a second leg comeback. If Luciano Spalletti’s men can’t stage the improbable on home soil, the Bianconeri will exit at the playoff stage for the second season running.
What Time Does Juventus vs. Galatasaray Kick-Off?
- Location: Turin, Italy
- Stadium: Allianz Stadium
- Date: Wednesday, Feb. 25
- Kick-off Time: 8 p.m. GMT / 3 p.m. ET / 12 p.m. PT
- Referee: João Pinheiro (POR)
- VAR: Tomasz Kwiatkowski (POL)
Juventus vs. Galatasaray Head-to-Head Record (Last Five Games)
- Juventus: 1 win
- Galatasaray: 3 wins
- Draws: 1
- Last meeting: Galatasaray 5–2 Juventus (Feb. 11, 2013)—Champions League
Current Form (All Competitions, Last Five Games)
| Juventus (WWWWL) | Galatasaray (LWWWW) |
|---|---|
| Juventus 0–2 Como | Konyaspor 2–0 Galatasaray |
| Galatasaray 5–2 Juventus | Galatasaray 5–2 Juventus |
| Inter 3–2 Juventus | Galatasaray 5–1 Eyüpspor |
| Juventus 2–2 Lazio | Rizespor 0–3 Galatasaray |
| Atalanta 3–0 Juventus | Galatasaray 3–1 Istanbulspor |
How to Watch Galatasaray vs. Juventus on TV
| Country | TV Channel/Live Stream |
|---|---|
| United Kingdom | TNT Sports 5, TNT Sports 3, discovery+, discovery+ App |
| United States | CBS Sports Network, Paramount+, fuboTV |
| Canada | DAZN Canada, fuboTV Canada |
| Mexico | TNT Sports, Max Mexico, TNT Go, tabii |
Juventus Team News
Not only are Juventus without Cabal, who produced a disastrous cameo and received two yellow cards in the first leg, but also Andrea Cambiaso, who picked up his third booking of the Champions League campaign last week and will have to serve a one-game suspension.
The absence of left backs may force a drastic switch from Spalletti, who could opt for a three-man defence.
Juve’s backline is drastically stronger when Gleison Bremer is commanding it, and the Brazilian could be back in action on Wednesday after missing the Como defeat at the weekend. Bremer sustained a muscle injury in Istanbul, but recent tests have ruled out a major issue.
Dušan Vlahović and Arkadiusz Milik are still out of action.
Juventus Predicted Lineup vs. Galatasaray
Juventus predicted lineup vs. Galatasaray (3-4-2-1): Di Gregorio; Kalulu, Bremer, Kelly; McKennie, Locatelli, Thuram, Kostić; Miretti, Yıldız; David.
Galatasaray Team News
Mario Lemina was ruled out of the first leg through suspension, as he’d picked up three yellow cards in the league phase. However, the ex-Juventus midfielder is eligible to return to the matchday squad on Wednesday.
Lemina should partner Gabriel Sara, who opened the scoring last week, in Galatasaray’s midfield.
Victor Osimhen was excluded from the Gala squad at the weekend due to a minor knee issue, but he’s unsurprisingly traveled to Turin for the second leg. The Nigerian didn’t score last week, but he did have a hand in the hosts’ fourth goal.
Galatasaray Predicted Lineup vs. Juventus
Galatasaray predicted lineup vs. Juventus (4-2-3-1): Çakir; Boey, Sánchez, Bardakçi, Jakobs; Lemina, Sara; Sané, Akgün, Lang; Osimhen.
Juventus vs. Galatasaray Score Prediction
Juventus have to make history on Wednesday night to advance, and Spalletti’s side, in their current state, doesn’t appear capable of staging such theatrics.
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.
While Galatasaray tasted defeat domestically at the weekend, they shouldn’t collapse in Turin. There’s enough experience with Buruk’s ranks to see the second leg out.
Prediction: Juventus 1–1 (3–6 agg) Galatasaray
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Juventus vs. Galatasaray: Preview, Predictions and Lineups.
