Galatasaray SK are back among Europe’s elite. For the first time in 12 years, the Turkish champions have reached the UEFA Champions League round of 16, surviving a dramatic second leg in Turin despite a 3-2 extra-time defeat to Juventus.
A pulsating contest at the Allianz Stadium ended 3-2 after extra time on the night, but a 7-5 aggregate scoreline sent a 10-man Juventus side crashing out of the competition. For Galatasaray, it was a night of resilience, opportunism and clinical finishing when it mattered most.
Juventus entered the second leg with a mountain to climb, trailing by three goals after the first meeting. The Old Lady responded with urgency from the opening whistle, pushing the tempo high and committing numbers forward in search of an early breakthrough.
The tie exploded into life inside two minutes. A close-range header from Davinson Sánchez forced Mattia Perin into a sharp reflex save, preventing Galatasaray from effectively killing the contest. Within a minute at the other end, Federico Gatti had a gilt-edged chance to ignite the comeback. Unmarked inside the box, he sent his header over the bar when hitting the target looked the minimum requirement.
The early exchanges set the tone. Teun Koopmeiners steered a header off target from another promising position, while Perin was again called into action to deny Victor Osimhen with an impressive stop. Kenan Yıldız then saw a deflected effort flash close, and the Turkish side had Uğurcan Çakır to thank for a superb intervention that preserved their grip on the tie.
As the first half moved toward its conclusion, Juventus finally found a breakthrough. Khéphren Thuram was brought down by Lucas Torreira inside the area, prompting the referee to point to the spot. Captain Manuel Locatelli accepted responsibility and dispatched the penalty with composure, reducing the deficit and injecting fresh belief into the home crowd.
If that goal altered the emotional temperature inside the stadium, the restart changed the tactical landscape entirely. Within three minutes of the second half, Lloyd Kelly was shown a red card for a reckless challenge, leaving Juventus with 10 men and forcing them to balance desperation with discipline.
Even a man down, Juventus refused to retreat. Yıldız went close again, firing inches wide, while Gatti seized his moment with 20 minutes remaining. Pouncing inside a charged Allianz Stadium, he rolled the ball home to keep the comeback alive.
With time running out in normal time, Yıldız struck the post from only a few yards out in a moment that summed up Juventus’ night. Yet the pressure eventually told. In the 82nd minute, Weston McKennie rose to meet a cross and powered in a close-range header, levelling the tie on aggregate and forcing extra time.
Momentum had swung, but the physical toll was evident as both sides entered the additional 30 minutes. Juventus continued to push. In the first half of extra time, McKennie turned provider, selflessly squaring for substitute Edon Zhegrova. With the goal at his mercy, Zhegrova fired wide. It was the type of miss that lingers in European competition.
The punishment was swift. On the stroke of half time in extra time, Osimhen found space inside the box and drove his effort through Perin’s legs to score his seventh Champions League goal of the season. The strike silenced the home support and restored Galatasaray’s aggregate cushion at the most critical juncture.
Juventus threw everything forward in the closing stages, but the numerical disadvantage and mounting fatigue proved decisive. As spaces opened up, Galatasaray capitalised. A breakaway attack culminated in Barış Yılmaz finishing clinically to seal the tie and confirm their passage to the last 16.
For Galatasaray, the result marks a significant milestone. A 12-year wait to return to the knockout stages has ended through a blend of defensive resilience and cutting edge in transition. They withstood prolonged spells of pressure in Turin, survived extra time in a hostile environment and punished key moments with ruthless efficiency.
Juventus, by contrast, are left to reflect on what might have been. Their response after the first-leg deficit was commendable, and their refusal to fold after the red card demonstrated character. Yet missed chances, particularly in extra time, proved decisive across the two legs.
Attention now turns to the draw. Galatasaray will face either Liverpool or Tottenham Hotspur in the round of 16, with the pairings to be confirmed on Friday. The prospect of another heavyweight European encounter awaits.
For Juventus, the focus shifts back to domestic priorities. An agonising Champions League exit must quickly be compartmentalised ahead of their Serie A trip to AS Roma on Sunday.
European nights often hinge on fine margins. In Turin, those margins favoured Galatasaray. Despite losing on the night, they achieved what mattered most over 180 intense minutes and beyond, reclaiming their place among the final 16 teams left standing in the Champions League.
