ISTANBUL, TURKEY – FEBRUARY 17: Kenan Yildiz of Juventus runs with the ball during the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 League Knockout Play-off First Leg match between Galatasaray A.S. and Juventus at Ali Sami Yen Spor Kompleksi on February 17, 2026 in Istanbul, Turkey. (Photo by Burak Kara/Getty Images)
Former Italy national team head coach Cesare Prandelli believes that Juventus have what it takes to overturn their 5-2 deficit against Galatasaray in the Champions League play-off round second leg on Wednesday evening, and believes that Luciano Spalletti can be the Cristiano Ronaldo for this current Bianconeri side.
The Old Lady are preparing to take on Galatasaray in the second leg of their Champions League play-off round tie on Wednesday evening, and need a minor miracle to make up for the 5-2 defeat they suffered in Istanbul last week. Juventus will need to win by three goals to keep the tie alive and will need to win by four goals if they are to avoid a penalty shootout.
This is a major week for Juventus’s season, given that they will also have to take on Roma in a six-pointer in the race for the Champions League spots in Serie A on Sunday. The Bianconeri are currently in fifth place in the Serie A standings, four points shy of a spot in the Champions League positions.
Prandelli previews Juventus vs. Galatasaray and Roma
Speaking in an interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport, Prandelli explained that he is quietly confident that Juventus will be able to turn things around against Galatasaray on Tuesday night.
“Scoring three or four goals against Osimhen and his teammates without conceding will be difficult, but after the first leg in Istanbul, who would have imagined Galatasaray scoring three goals in 45 minutes against the Bianconeri? Spalletti’s team can do it, why not,” said Prandelli.
“If they take the lead in the first 20 minutes, the psychological aspect changes.”
The last time that the Bianconeri pulled off a Champions League comeback of a similar scale was when Cristiano Ronaldo provided a hat-trick to help Juve to a 3-2 aggregate victory over Atletico Madrid in the 2018-19 round of 16.
Asked who could be Juventus’s Ronaldo on this occasion, Prandelli said: “Spalletti. He doesn’t take to the pitch, but he’s the one with the most experience and charisma. I don’t expect him to come up with any new ideas, I think he will focus on his most reliable players.
“Galatasaray and Roma are two games which will make Juventus play for their season, and as for many of the players, their futures as well.”
Prandelli was asked whether Spalletti might consider resting some of his key players against Galatasaray in order to focus on the upcoming Serie A six-pointer against Roma.
“No,” Prandelli said. “The match against Galatasaray should be seen as the most important of all, you can’t have two doubts about it. Coming back in the Champions League would give them momentum heading into the Stadio Olimpico.”
There is also a financial element to consider, given that qualification to the Champions League round of 16 will be worth around €15m for Juventus, while a fourth-place finish in Serie A will be worth around €60m.
“The coach makes technical evaluations, not economic ones,” Prandelli said. And if the directors gave the team this added pressure, they would be administrators and not footballing people. Talk of money should stay out of it.”
