Juventus’ journey to Galatasaray for their initial match of the UEFA Champions League knockout phase started with promise. The team, buoyed by their recent hiring of Luciano Spalletti, aimed to maintain their top-four position in Serie A, showcasing an attack revitalized by his strategic enhancements. Juventus managed to secure a 2-1 lead by halftime, with Teun Koopmeiners scoring twice.
However, the narrative changed dramatically in the second half. In the 49th minute, Noa Lang scored, followed by Davinson Sanchez reclaiming the lead for Galatasaray in the 60th minute. The real turning point came when Juan Cabal received a second yellow card a mere 21 minutes after entering, reducing Juventus to ten players.
“Juventus are down to ten men after Juan Cabal is shown a second yellow card just 21 minutes after entering the game 馃煡”
(Translation: Juventus is now at a disadvantage with one player sent off just moments after he entered the match.)
Soon after, the floodgates opened for Galatasaray. They scored two more goals, finishing the match at 5-2. Juventus’ defense was already under scrutiny before Cabal’s dismissal, having conceded consistently throughout the Champions League season. Juventus hasn’t reached the quarterfinals since their 2018-19 campaign and may now miss the round of 16 for a fifth consecutive year. This loss marks a significant blow to Juventus’ past triumphs and raises questions about their current trajectory.
