Preview: Galatasaray vs Juventus - prediction, team news, lineups

Turkish heavyweights Galatasaray and Italian giants Juventus will commence their battle for a place in the Champions League’s last 16 when they meet in Istanbul on Tuesday evening.

Convening for the first leg of their playoff, Gala are into the knockout rounds for the first time in 12 years, while Juve have lost their last five elimination ties.

Match preview

With a two-point buffer heading into the final matchday, Galatasaray could afford a tame 2-0 defeat to Manchester City when the league phase reached its chaotic climax last month.

That loss made it four Champions League games without a win - and just three victories in 14 continental fixtures - but they still scraped through in 20th place.

Since then, Gala have posted four straight wins across all competitions, racking up 15 goals in the process; captain Mauro Icardi has scored five, including a hat-trick in Friday’s 5-1 thumping of Eyupspor.

Three points clear at the Super Lig summit, Okan Buruk’s side are on track to defend their domestic crown, but he will also hope to break new ground in Europe’s top competition.

Part of a legendary team that won the UEFA Cup in 2000, then beat Real Madrid to lift the UEFA Super Cup, the former midfielder has led Gala to three straight Turkish titles since returning as head coach four years ago.

Now, he can take them into their first Champions League knockout tie since 2014, having lost to AZ Alkmaar at this stage of last season’s Europa League.

Galatasaray's 200th European Cup match will take place on home turf, where they have lost just one of their last 11 matches in continental competition - and they have only once failed to score across the last 18.

Tuesday’s game also marks a seventh Champions League meeting with Juventus, following six previous encounters in the group stage: Gala won the most recent clash 1-0, in December 2013.

In fact, Juve have failed to win any of their three away games against Galatasaray, while the Turin club have lost five consecutive knockout ties since beating Atletico Madrid over two legs back in 2019.

The Bianconeri wrapped up this season’s league phase with a 0-0 draw in Monaco, their final tally of 13 points placing them 13th in the table - seven spots above Galatasaray.

The two-time European champions therefore reached the Champions League’s latter stages for a 10th time in 12 seasons, but they will aim to go much deeper this year.

Current coach Luciano Spalletti has won 10 and lost just two of his last 16 games at Europe’s top level, across spells with Inter Milan, Napoli, and now Juve.

Undefeated in five since Spalletti's November arrival - keeping a clean sheet in the last three - Juventus may have proved tougher to beat, but they remain much more vulnerable on the road.

During the league phase, they only earned five away points from 12 available, while they have also lost in Cagliari, Bergamo and Milan since the middle of last month.

On Saturday night, Juve came away empty-handed from another classic Derby d’Italia at San Siro, suffering a late 3-2 defeat to old foes Inter.

Despite fighting back after controversially going down to 10 men, the Bianconeri were still beaten, denting their pursuit of a place in Serie A’s final top four.

Galatasaray Champions League form:

L L W W W L

Galatasaray form (all competitions):

W L W W W W

Juventus Champions League form:

L D W W W D

Juventus form (all competitions):

W D W L D L

Team News

Having praised the chemistry of his prolific front pair - ex-Inter man Icardi and former Napoli striker Victor Osimhen - it remains to be seen whether Okan Buruk risks starting both or takes a more cautious approach for this first leg.

Icardi has been on fire in the past few weeks, while Osimhen - who needs two more goals to equal Gala’s record for a single Champions League campaign - has scored in five of his last six league appearances.

However, Gabriel Sara could be brought in to bolster central midfield, with Ilkay Gundogan shifting forward, particularly as Juventus old boy Mario Lemina must serve a suspension.

The hosts will also be without Metahan Baltaci - banned due to his involvement in a betting scandal - but German winger Leroy Sane recently resumed full training and could be involved, along with new signing Noa Lang.

Meanwhile, Juve are only missing injured strikers Dusan Vlahovic and Arkadiusz Milik, as key midfielder Khephren Thuram is expected to recover from a bone bruise that saw him sit out the Derby d’Italia.

In the ongoing absence of Vlahovic, Jonathan David should beat Lois Openda to selection as the Bianconeri’s lone striker, supported by main man Kenan Yildiz.

Set to play on home turf, the Turkish forward has created 12 chances and completed 16 dribbles in this season’s Champions League.

Galatasaray possible starting lineup:

Cakir; Sallai, Bardakci, Sanchez, Jakobs; Torreira, Sara; Sane, Gundogan, Yilmaz; Osimhen

Juventus possible starting lineup:

Di Gregorio; Kalulu, Bremer, Kelly, Cambiaso; Locatelli, Koopmeiners; Conceicao, McKennie, Yildiz; David

We say: Galatasaray 2-1 Juventus

Galatasaray have hit a purple patch, scoring at will while ruthlessly punishing their domestic opponents: they have now won nine and lost none of their Super Lig home fixtures.

While Juventus represent a step up in class, the Bianconeri have begun to leak goals and may succumb to intense pressure in front of a highly partisan crowd.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.