Galatasaray delivered a stunning performance on home soil, crushing Juventus 5-2 at RAMS Park in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League play-off tie for a place in the Round of 16.
Galatasaray opened the scoring in the 15th minute through Gabriel Sara. However, Juventus responded swiftly, with Teun Koopmeiners netting twice in the 16th and 32nd minutes to give the Italian side a 2-1 lead at halftime.
The second half belonged entirely to the Turkish champions. Galatasaray mounted a remarkable comeback, scoring four unanswered goals.
Noa Lang struck twice in the 49th and 75th minutes, while Davinson Sánchez added a third in the 60th minute. Sacha Boey sealed the emphatic victory with a late goal in the 86th minute.
The result marked one of the most dramatic comebacks of the season and puts Galatasaray in a commanding position ahead of the return leg.
Galatasaray reached the play-off round after finishing 20th in the league phase, following a defeat to Manchester City in their final match.
Juventus, meanwhile, secured 13th place after a goalless draw against AS Monaco, setting up a high-stakes knockout encounter between two European heavyweights.
The tie also carries compelling narratives off the pitch. It revives the complex relationship between Juventus head coach Luciano Spalletti and Argentine striker Mauro Icardi dating back to their time at Inter.
It also recalls Spalletti’s successful partnership with Victor Osimhen at Napoli, where the Nigerian forward played a pivotal role in ending the club’s long wait for a Serie A title.
With five goals on the night and momentum firmly on their side, Galatasaray have taken a giant step toward the Champions League Round of 16.
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