The turnaround was all the time going to be fast between Juventus’ second Derby d’Italia and the primary leg of the Champions League play-off spherical tie in opposition to Galatasaray in Istanbul. That was imaginative and prescient when the fixture checklist first got here out, and that’s most undoubtedly nonetheless the view now contemplating Juve made their approach to Turkiye lower than 48 hours after the fireworks — and never the great variety by any means — at San Siro on Saturday.
However as a lot because the Derby d’Italia is sort of all the time going to be essential, Juventus’ subsequent 180-plus minutes over the subsequent eight days are simply as essential, if no more contemplating what’s at stake.
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Juventus, identical to final season, are one of many 16 groups taking part in this week and subsequent to save lots of their Champions League lives for the 2025-26 season. The purpose is to increase issues at the least yet one more step within the knockout rounds.
The hope is that it doesn’t finish on the similar spot within the competitors because it did 12 months in the past.
However in contrast to final season, Juventus are away from house for the primary leg of their Champions League play-off tie. And moderately than it being a Dutch opponent by which that they had already performed (and overwhelmed) in the course of the league section, it’s now a Turkish opponent which have loads of acquainted names who’re well-versed within the methods of Serie A. Tuesday night time’s matchup with Galatasaray will see Juventus and Luciano Spalletti attempt to cease a crew led by strikers that he has coached, together with a sure Nigerian goal man who was the driving pressure behind the Tuscan tactician’s title-winning season in Naples. Now, as their former membership sit on the sidelines and out of the Champions League all collectively due to occurred on the ultimate day of the league section, it’s now Spalletti’s process of establishing his crew to decelerate the likes of Victor Osimhen and, within the yr 2026, Mauro Icardi.
And all of that is happening three complete days after the drama — and none of it good — in opposition to Inter Milan within the Derby d’Italia on Saturday night time.
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However what occurred in opposition to Inter isn’t one thing that Spalletti thinks will carry over into a vital Champions League tie regardless of the very quick turnaround from one fixture to the subsequent.
“We’re not bringing what occurred within the earlier match in right here,” Spalletti mentioned throughout Monday’s pre-match press convention, “however moderately what we’re going to do: it’s higher to clear the air and step again onto the pitch with the correct enthusiasm and the enjoyment of dealing with nice opponents. This can be a match that everybody rightly feels deeply; the boys are doing nicely and the group is at its greatest in entrance of a setting like this.”
In a manner, although, it seems like there are most likely two predominant methods this may go for Spalletti’s squad in Turkey.
Choice No. 1: Juve come out and look each bit pissed off that they rightfully ought to be after the loss to Inter although he mentioned they aren’t carrying over what occurred over the weekend.
Choice No. 2: Juve look each bit emotionally spent after what occurred Saturday night time.
However that isn’t one thing Spalletti mentioned will
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“We’ve come right here to play within the opposition’s half, then we’ll see whether or not we handle to do this or not,” he mentioned
Not that listening to Spalletti say that’s going to take many individuals aback. He’s a person who needs to play his type of ball regardless of who is out there, it doesn’t matter what form his squad is in and regardless of who his crew is dealing with. May all of it be a deke and all of the sudden we’re seeing Juve taking part in good old school catenaccio in opposition to Galatasaray? I imply, perhaps, that’s all the time going to be potential — particularly with the short-handed choices Spalletti has in assault on Tuesday night time.
Regardless, Juventus should decelerate a Galatasaray squad which are carrying loads of wind of their sails in latest weeks. They’ve been profitable, scoring an entire lot of targets and never permitting a lot of something by way of the opposition scoring. Of their final 4 wins, Gala has outscored their opponents by a whopping 15-2 margin. And whereas they haven’t precisely been heavy hitters by way of opponents, that’s nonetheless proof that Galatasaray have each motive to love their probabilities and the best way they’re taking part in coming into Tuesday’s first leg.
A key part to these latest victories has been simply how they’ve began, scoring the primary purpose in 5 of these six video games and clearly popping out on the entrance foot and never letting up on the gasoline. That’s one thing that Spalletti may have fight from the get-go — and the straightforward proven fact that the stadium in Istanbul goes to be an absolute madhouse with an environment that Juve’s hardly ever seen this season.
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What occurs over these subsequent 90 minutes is anyone’s guess. But when Juventus can survive the journey to Turkiye, keep away from catastrophe and provides themselves a preventing probability to get to the UCL Spherical of 16 subsequent week in Turin, then that’s going to really feel like a fairly good night time at a spot that brings again some not-so-fond recollections for long-time Juventus supporters like yours really.
No less than it appears to be like just like the potential snow will maintain off till Wednesday. That’s a win proper there.
TEAM NEWS
The massive information forward of Juventus’ squad leaving for Turkiye is that Jonathan David was not part of that group. As a substitute, the Canadian striker, who has held down the beginning position in Dusan Vlahovic”s absence, will miss Tuesday night time’s sport because of a reported groin harm following the Derby d’Italia loss.
Apart from that, the 2 different gamers who’re lacking out because of harm aren’t a shock, with Vlahovic, Emil Holm and Arek Milik additionally again in Turin watching their Juve teammates tackle Galatasaray.
Khephren Thuram is again within the squad after lacking out on dealing with his brother Marcus and Inter this previous weekend. Nevertheless, on the subject of Thuram’s precise availability, Spalletti was moderately coy, saying that he should “assess (Thuram’s) situation” forward of Tuesday’s sport.
Who performs in midfield if Thuram isn’t good to go from the beginning? It appears to be like like one other potential begin for Teun Koopmeiners.
When requested if Loïs Openda will begin rather than the injured David, Spalletti mentioned that he “wants to consider it.”
In a probable associated notice, Spalletti was very complimentary of Weston McKennie and his versatility on the sphere. That was not simply because McKennie was sitting proper subsequent to Spalletti in the course of the pre-match press convention. As a substitute, he was talking about McKennie’s kind and the way earlier statements relating to the American’s capacity to potential play as a ahead may play into plans for dealing with Galatasaray. “He’s a participant who has the traits to play along with his again to purpose and in addition is aware of flip issues round in a brief area of time as a result of he’s quick and technical,” Spalletti mentioned of McKennie.
Simply as we noticed final season with January additions, Jérémie Boga has been added to the Champions League squad following his arrival on mortgage from Good.
JUVENTUS PLAYER TO WATCH
For the primary time in his Juventus profession, the Bianconeri’s younger Turkish star can be taking part in on house turf.
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You suppose he’s going to be a itching to impress in entrance of a crowd that may flip the tables and be rooting for him in a number of weeks as Turkiye attempt to safe their spot on this summer season’s World Cup?
Yeah, we’re speaking about the person who you most likely figured we can be speaking about with Juve in Istanbul.
Kenan Yildiz taking part in on Turkish soil is just one thing that has beforehand been reserved for when he represents Turkiye on the worldwide stage. However on Tuesday night time, Yildiz can be dealing with Turkish opposition for the primary time as a Juventus participant — and that alone is motive for the younger No. 10 to have his adrenaline going somewhat bit greater than it normally does for a giant European tie. Then throw in
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I do know it’s been every week and a half because the final time Yildiz featured on this spot, however I believe it’s secure to say that this was all the time going to be the case regardless of if he signed his new contract when he did or if it occurred in March or April. That is Kenan’s homecoming of types although, technically, he was born in Germany.
Plus, there’s additionally this: By his ever-growing requirements, the final couple of video games have been comparatively quiet.
I do know, I do know. Issues all of the sudden modified for Yildiz — and Juventus’ squad as an entire — when Kalulu acquired despatched off within the forty second minute. It grew to become a lot much less of the sport that Juve have been taking part in earlier than the pink card and far more of working off the ball within the defensive section in comparison with what he normally does. (And that’s so much to start with.)
However that Yildiz, taking part in in a stadium that he is aware of nicely from his childhood and the early phases of his nationwide crew profession, goes to need to impress on prime of attempting to information his crew that’s short-handed in assault to the absolute best end result they’ll obtain in Istanbul.
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You already know it wouldn’t be somewhat further for Yildiz to attain his first purpose and flash his star celebration for the primary time since signing his fancy new contract in Turkiye? That feels just like the second greatest place than in entrance of the curva on the Allianz. (Though I’m guessing Saturday night time at San Siro would have been up there, too.)
It feels like a fairly good manner for Juventus to bounce again from the entire stupidity we noticed over the weekend.
MATCH INFO
When: Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026.
The place: Ali Sami Yen Sports activities Advanced, Istanbul, Turkey.
Official kickoff time: 8:45 p.m. native time in Istanbul, Turkey; 6:45 p.m. in Italy and throughout Europe, 5:45 p.m. in the UK, 1:45 p.m. Japanese time, 11:45 a.m. Central time, 9:45 a.m. Pacific time.
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HOW TO WATCH
Tv: TUDN USA, UniMás (United States); TNT Sports activities 1 (United Kingdom); Sky Sport Uno, Sky Sport 251 (Italy).
On-line/Streaming: , Amazon Prime Video USA, TUDN.com, TUDN app, Univision NOW (United States); DAZN Canada; fuboTV Canada (Canada); Amazon Prime Video UK (United Kingdom); Sky Go Italia (Italy).
Different stay viewing choices could be discovered , and as all the time, you may as well comply with together with us stay and all of the silly issues we are saying . In the event you haven’t already, on Black & White & Learn All Over, and be part of within the dialogue beneath.