What Happened
Juventus suffered a significant setback in their UEFA Champions League campaign, losing 5-2 to Galatasaray in the first leg of their knockout tie. This defeat marks only the second time in the club’s history that they have lost a first leg of a major European knockout tie by a three-goal margin, the previous instance being against Real Madrid in the 2017-18 UEFA Champions League quarter-finals.
Why It Matters
Galatasaray’s victory puts them in a strong position, as they have historically progressed from all 11 of their knockout ties in European competition when winning the first leg by at least three goals. Juventus, having won just one of their seven encounters with Galatasaray in the UEFA Champions League, faces a daunting challenge to overturn this deficit. Historically, only four teams have managed to progress after losing the first leg of a UEFA Champions League knockout stage tie by three or more goals.
What’s Next
As the teams prepare for the second leg, Galatasaray’s striker Victor Osimhen has expressed his readiness to compete despite recent knee discomfort. He emphasized the collective effort required to secure a favorable outcome. Juventus will need to mount a significant comeback to keep their hopes alive for advancing to the next round of the tournament.
