Galatasaray and Juventus produced an end-to-end encounter in the first play-off match of the 2025-26 Champions League season.

Galatasaray defeated 10-man Juventus 5-2 in the first leg of their Champions League play-off at Rams Park.

Gabriel Sara scored the opener before assisting Davinson Sanchez, while Teun Koopmeiners` first-half brace was followed by two goals from Noa Lang after the break as the hosts prevailed in a thrilling encounter, with Sacha Boey also on target.

Okan Buruk`s side went ahead after 15 minutes when Sara capitalised on a poor clearance from Bremer, but Juve levelled less than 85 seconds later when Koopmeiners reacted quickest to a rebound from Pierre Kalulu`s initial header.

The Dutch midfielder then put the visitors in front shortly after the half-hour mark, firing into the top-left corner from the edge of the box, only for his compatriot Lang, who joined Galatasaray on loan from Napoli last month, to equalise four minutes into the second half.

What was initially an end-to-end affair then became one-sided after a hectic eight-minute spell. After Sanchez flicked Sara`s thunderous free-kick beyond Michele Di Gregorio, second-half substitute Juan Cabal received his second yellow card to reduce Juve to 10 men.

Lang then doubled Galatasaray`s advantage after Juve lost possession in their own box, and Boey came off the bench to add a fifth late on after great work from Victor Osimhen allowed the full-back to break into the box and score.

Data Debrief: Five-star display from Galatasaray

Galatasaray have scored five goals in a Champions League match for the first time in their history, while Juventus have conceded five for the first time in the competition.

A clinical display from the hosts, who produced 2.96 expected goals (xG) from 22 shots to Juventus` 1.13 xG from seven attempts, may have already settled the tie.

Sara, who registered the most shots for his side (three), created the most chances (seven) and recorded the most passes (59), is the first Galatasaray player to score and assist in a Champions League knockout match since Wesley Sneijder in April 2013, against Real Madrid.

 

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