The Pak Global Pakistan:
Galatasaray secured a dramatic victory over Juventus in extra time to reach the Champions League last 16, overcoming a spirited comeback from the 10-man Italian side. Victor Osimhen and Baris Yilmaz scored in the added period to seal a thrilling 7-5 aggregate win for the Turkish club.
Juventus faced a steep challenge after losing the first leg 5-2 in Istanbul, but they staged a fierce fightback at the Allianz Stadium. Juventus captain Manuel Locatelli opened the scoring with a first-half penalty after Lucas Torreira fouled Khephren Thuram. The Italians were down to 10 men shortly after the break when Lloyd Kelly received a controversial straight red card following a VAR review for a challenge on Yilmaz.
Despite the numerical disadvantage, Juventus showed remarkable resilience. Federico Gatti tapped in Pierre Kalulu’s cross in the 70th minute to reignite hopes, and Weston McKennie’s header with eight minutes remaining leveled the tie at 5-5 on aggregate, putting Juventus on the brink of a historic comeback. They threatened to join a select group of clubs to progress after losing the first leg by three or more goals.
However, fatigue caught up with the hosts in extra time. Osimhen capitalized on a pass from Yilmaz to restore Galatasaray’s lead, and Yilmaz sealed the victory with a composed finish in the dying moments of the match.
Galatasaray will now face a tough last-16 tie against either Liverpool or Tottenham, marking their first appearance in Europe’s elite club competition knockout stage since the 2013-14 season.
The match also sparked debate over the VAR decision that upgraded Kelly’s second yellow to a straight red, a move later criticized as “awful” and pivotal in shaping the outcome.