Juventus suffered a devastating 5-2 defeat against Galatasaray on February 17, 2026, in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League play-off in Istanbul. A disastrous performance from Juan Cabal, culminating in a red card, and a double from Noa Lang ruined the match for the Bianconeri, who now face a mountain to climb for qualification.

Despite the final score, Juventus had initially taken a 2-1 lead thanks to a brace from Teun Koopmeiners. However, the Turin club's situation deteriorated rapidly after Cabal's sending off, which left his teammates with ten men for much of the game.

The Bianconeri traveled to Istanbul with several key absences, including Jonathan David, Emil Holm, Dusan Vlahovic, and Arek Milik. Khephren Thuram returned to the squad, while Weston McKennie was surprisingly deployed as a False 9, flanked by Kenan Yildiz and Francisco Conceicao.

Galatasaray, despite Mario Lemina's suspension, could rely on former Serie A stars like Victor Osimhen, Mauro Icardi, and Lucas Torreira, in addition to the decisive Noa Lang. Gabriel Sara scored the first goal for the Turkish side, initiating their comeback.

This heavy 5-2 defeat makes the return leg in Turin, scheduled for February 25, an arduous task for Juventus. The Bianconeri will need to overturn a significant deficit to have any hope of advancing in Europe's most prestigious club competition.