Federico Gatti and Victor Osimhen warmly hugged each other after a 120-minute clash in Juventus-Galatasaray, sending a powerful message to Italian football, but the Bianconeri now face an uphill climb to qualify for the Champions League.

Juventus’ 3-2 win against Galatasaray will go down as one of the most memorable games in the Old Lady’s history, even if not entirely for the right reasons.

Even after going down to 10 men at the beginning of the second half, Juventus pulled off a remarkable three-goal comeback against the Turkish giants. Having lost the first leg 5-2 the week before, Juventus stormed to a 3-0 lead to force the match into extra time.

I’ve been covering Serie A football for over 15 years and have reported on several Juventus matches at the Allianz Stadium. The only other time I felt the stadium shake was in 2019, when Cristiano Ronaldo scored a hat-trick and helped the Bianconeri beat Atletico Madrid 3-2 on aggregate to qualify for the Champions League quarter-finals.

Last night, I felt exactly the same as the Bianconeri fans created a fantastic atmosphere from start to finish and didn’t stop cheering on the team even after Galatasaray’s second goal.

Not even Lloyd Kelly’s debatable red card made Juventus lose their momentum. Still, ultimately, the Bianconeri found themselves licking their wounds after an incredible night of football, which once again confirmed the ill-fated relationship between the Old Lady and the Cup with the big ears.

Juventus and Galatasaray put on the field exactly what you expect in a top-level Champions League match, and particularly the duel between Gatti and Osimhen summed up the spirit shown in Turin last night.

The clash between the Bianconeri defender and the ex-Napoli striker began quickly as the pair had an argument early in the first half, when Osimhen even took off his trademark face mask to yell at the Italy centre-back.

It is still unclear what Gatti told Osimhen to prompt his angry reaction, but surely neither showed hard feelings at the end of the game, as they warmly hugged each other as soon as the referee blew the full-time whistle.

We’ve already discussed many times how Serie A football has become way too soft, somehow even thanks to an excessive use of VAR. Yet last night’s match showed that Italian clubs can, and must play at a high tempo to give their best and become a real threat to any opponent at a European stage. Atalanta know something about it too, having beaten Borussia Dortmund 4-1, becoming the only Serie A side to qualify for the Champions League Round of 16 this season.

Even though Galatasaray players went way too far with their time-wasting technique, especially in the first half, the duel between Osimhen and Gatti was always vigorous, rough, but, above all, fair, and it’s no coincidence that at the end of the match, they set their rivalry aside for a heartfelt embrace that showed exaclty the attitude players must have on the pitch nowadays.

It’s not an overly sentimental take, quite the opposite. Galatasaray tried to sit on their three-goal lead for much of the game and nearly paid a high price for it, as the intensity, the tough challenges, and the desire to always play the ball from Juventus gave them a chance to get back in the contest despite the big advantage held by the Turkish side.

This should serve as a lesson for Serie A football, but mostly the Italy national team. If we are to go to the World Cup, we must stick to football and forget unnecessary drama.

Now, the tricky part begins for Juventus.

It’s hard to remember a Bianconeri side in recent years that has built so much, yet collected so little. It’s undeniable that the playing style and the confidence under Luciano Spalletti have increased dramatically, but the Old Lady remains four points below the top four and has a crucial away game at Roma coming up.

Juventus already proved in Istanbul last week that the physical and psychological burden from a high-level performance can take its toll in the following games. After their controversial 3-2 loss to Inter less than two weeks ago, the Bianconeri suffered a 5-2 defeat away to Galatasaray and then capitulated 2-0 at home against Como.

In those two matches, the Bianconeri looked empty, perhaps also due to the fierce battle at San Siro against their heated rivals.

Surely, this is something they can’t afford next weekend, as a defeat against Roma would push them seven points below a Champions League spot with just 11 Serie A games remaining.

Juventus are not as bad as they looked at the start of the season, largely due to Spalletti’s tactical and psychological work with the team. Yet the Bianconeri’s qualification for the Champions League remains uncertain, and their next match, in just three days, will say a lot about their chances to finish in the top four.

It won’t be easy, especially after playing with such high intensity and being reduced to ten men for over an hour. Roma, on the other hand, have had a week to prepare for one of the most important games of the year. This, however, cannot be an excuse for Juventus, who must be strong enough to prove that their sacrifice and pain against Galatasaray were not in vain.

Edon Zhegrova thanks Juventus fans for their support during a Champions League match against Galatasaray, but admits: ‘This loss is part of my journey.’

• Read more – Ex-Juventus midfielder shares picture of Zhegrova’s big chance wasted: ‘It hurts even more’

Zhegrova was introduced as a substitute in the second half of Juventus’ 3-2 win over Galatasaray on Wednesday, which, however, did not allow the Serie A giants to secure qualification to the Champions League Round of 16.

The Kosovo international replaced Francisco Conceiçao and inspired the Old Lady’s second goal, scored by Federico Gatti.

Juventus had been reduced to ten men due to a red card shown to Lloyd Kelly at the beginning of the second half, yet Luciano Spalletti’s men managed to get to the 90th minute with a 3-0 advantage.

During extra time, however, Zhegrova missed a huge opportunity to score the fourth goal of the night for the Bianconeri while Victor Osimhen bagged the decisive goal for Galatasaray just a few minutes later.

Zhegrova took to social media at full-time to thank Juventus fans for their endless support on Wednesday, but didn’t directly mention his error in front of the goal.

Zhegrova’s social media message after Juventus 3-2 Galatasaray

“Tonight hurts. But this loss is part of my journey! Proud of the team and the mentality shown,” Zhegrova wrote on Instagram.

“Thanks to all supporters in the stadium, you were amazing.”

Zhegrova’s post received several comments from Juventus fans, many of which were not negative and highlighted the team’s spirit in what could have been one of the club’s biggest feats.

Nikola Krstovic won a stoppage-time penalty for Atalanta against Borussia Dortmund on Wednesday and coach Raffaele Palladino urged his players to give him a ‘huge round of applause’ as he held up a bloodstained bandage used to stop the striker’s bleeding.

Atalanta are the only Serie A side to have qualified for the Champions League Round of 16, having eliminated Borussia Dortmund from the knockout play-off with a 4-3 aggregate win.

Palladino’s dressing room speech after historic Atalanta win

La Dea earned a late penalty last night when Ramy Bensebaini clumsily kicked Krstovic in the head, and Atalanta coach Palladino praised his striker in the dressing room after the match.

A video posted by Atalanta on Instagram shows Palladino addressing the team while showing a bloodstained bandage Krstovic used to stop the bleeding.

“Let’s give a huge round of applause, come on, give it to him, to a player who, look at this, threw himself at the very last ball, Krstovic, and won us a penalty,” Palladino said in the presence of Luca and Antonio Percassi.

 

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The striker himself also took to social media to show the consequences of Bensebaini’s reckless kick. However, inevitably, the ex-Lecce striker still appeared to be in a good mood after a memorable evening in Bergamo.

Atalanta will face Arsenal or Bayern Munich in the Round of 16 and will learn their next opponent during a draw taking place tomorrow.

Galatasaray star striker Victor Osimhen was delighted to meet with Juventus legend Alessandro Del Piero after a Champions League match against the Bianconeri last night: ‘I want to take a picture.’

Nigeria international Osimhen met ex-Juventus striker Del Piero behind the scenes before a post-match interview at the Allianz Stadium last night.

The Galatasaray striker had just scored a goal to eliminate the Bianconeri from the Champions League, and Del Piero had been commenting on the game as a pundit for CBS Sports and Sky Sport Italia.

As reported by CBS Sports correspondent Marco Messina, Osimhen and Del Piero spoke briefly before the Nigerian striker told the Bianconeri legend: “I want to take a picture.”

During a post-match interview with Prime Video Italia, Osimhen said he didn’t celebrate his goal last night out of respect for his ex-Napoli coach Luciano Spalletti.

“I want to take a picture”

So much respect between Osimhen and Del Piero @CBSSportsGolazo pic.twitter.com/jn3Tqjr5x8

— Marco Messina (@IFTVMarco) February 26, 2026

Check out the latest team news and probable line-ups for Bologna vs Brann and Fiorentina vs Jagiellonia in the Europa League and Conference League, respectively.

There’s more European football on Thursday after a two-day Champions League action that saw Atalanta progress to the Round of 16 while Inter and Juventus faced elimination from Europe’s elite competition.

Today, Bologna play in the Europa League knockout play-off at home against Brann (21:00 CET), and Fiorentina host Jagiellonia in the same stage of the Conference League (18:45 CET).

The Fiorentina game will be broadcast on TNT Sports 8 in the UK and Ireland and Paramount+ in the USA. To watch Bologna vs. Brann head to TNT Sports 2 or TNT Sports 5 in the UK or Ireland or Paramount+ in the USA. Football Italia will provide live updates via a live blog.

Both Serie A sides won their first-leg away games last week. Bologna beat Brann 1-0, while Fiorentina secured a 3-0 victory.

Bologna vs. Brann – team news and probable line-ups

Lykogiannis, Miranda, De Silvestri and Helland are unavailable, so Zortea is expected to start as a left-back with Joao Mario on the opposite flank. Nicolò Cambiaghi and Jonathan Rowe compete for a starting spot on the left flank.

Bologna (4-3-3): Skorupski; Joao Mario, Lucumi, Vitik, Zortea; Moro, Freuler, Ferguson; Bernardeschi, Castro, Rowe.

Brann (4-3-3): Dyngeland; De Roeve, Pallesen, Boakye, Soltvedt; Ingason, Sorensen, Myhre; Mathisen, Holm, Thorsteinsson. 

Fiorentina vs. Jagiellonia – team news and probable line-ups

Fiorentina will rotate heavily after a 3-0 win in the first leg. Dodo, as reported by Sky Sport Italia, will still start at right-back, as he’s suspended for the next Serie A match. Jack Harrison will start for the third time in a row, joining Jacopo Fazzini and Roberto Piccoli in attack.

Fiorentina (4-1-4-1): Lezzerini; Dodò, Pongracic, Comuzzo, Gosens; Mandragora; Harrison, Fabbian, Ndour, Fazzini; Piccoli.

Jagiellonia (4-2-3-1): Abramowicz; Wojtuszek, Vital, Pelmard, Wdowik; Mazurek, Romanchuk;  Pozo, Imaz, Jozwiak; Pululu.

Edon Zhegrova wasted a massive chance to give Juventus a four-goal lead in the extra time of a Champions League match against Galatasaray: ‘The day after, it hurts even more,’ wrote ex-Bianconeri midfielder Alessio Tacchinardi.

Juventus nearly completed a stunning comeback against Galatasaray on Wednesday, but were eliminated from the Champions League knockout play-off with a 7-5 aggregate defeat.

Zhegrova’s wasted chance in Juventus 3-2 Galatasaray

Despite Lloyd Kelly’s red card at the start of the second half, the Bianconeri levelled the score before minute 90th, taking a three-goal lead and then had a massive chance to make it 4-0 in extra time.

Kosovo international Zhegrova, however, wasted a wise Weston McKennie assist and sent what appeared to be an easy shot wide of the far post.

Just a few minutes later, Victor Osimhen scored a goal that practically qualified Galatasaray.

“This image hurts even more the day after,” ex-Juventus midfielder Tacchinardi wrote on Instagram, showing an angle of Zhegrova’s missed opportunity in front of the goal.

Juventus coach Luciano Spalletti was so disappointed by the elimination that he didn’t even talk to the media at full-time as the Bianconeri sent director Giorgio Chiellini to comment on the game with reporters.

Inter star Nicolò Barella has netted only once this season, finishing his Champions League campaign without a goal or assist, raising concerns for the Nerazzurri and Italy coach Gennaro Gattuso.

Inter midfielder Barella is under scrutiny for club and country due to a dip in form this season, Tuttosport reports.

Barella’s disappointing season so far

The 29-year-old has scored only one Serie A goal this season, adding six assists, but Barella has ended his Champions League campaign without a goal.

Barella’s numbers are even more worrying when considering that the Italian grabbed nine goals and ten assists in 2022-23.

Clearly, his performances can’t only be judged by goal contributions, but the general feeling is that the Italy international has been far less effective in the current campaign.

Inter and Italy’s concerns over Barella’s form

La Gazzetta dello Sport has already reported that Inter might be listening to offers for the Italian midfielder next summer, and Tuttosport adds that Italy CT Gattuso is ‘concerned’ by the midfielder’s decline, to the extent that Barella’s call-up for next month’s World Cup play-off is uncertain.

The same goes for Davide Frattesi, who has only provided three assists in 24 appearances this season.

Inter, Real Madrid and Manchester United were among the most profitable clubs in 2024-25, but Serie A is the fourth European league in revenue, even fifth, behind France in ticket income.

UEFA has published a report on the finances of European clubs, and the outcome for Italian football is not exactly rosy.

As highlighted by Gazzetta, the revenues of the 20 Premier League clubs reached €7.5 billion in 2024-25, almost twice Germany’s €3.9 billion and Spain’s €3.88 billion, and more than double Italy’s € 2.9 billion.

Ligue 1 narrows the revenue gap with Serie A

French clubs have registered a +7% increase in revenues compared to the previous campaign, while Turkish clubs have seen an even more impressive +64% increase.

Serie A is the fourth European league in terms of revenue, and even drops to fifth when it comes to matchday ticket revenue, which is just at €442m. The Premier League is above €1 billion, Spain and Germany are around €600m, and France is at €448m.

There’s still a considerable gap between Serie A and Ligue 1 in terms of TV rights: Italy reaches €1.2 billion, while France doesn’t even reach €500,000. Premier League clubs earn 3.4 billion from TV rights, Spain 1.4 billion, and Germany 1.14 billion.

Inter among the most profitable clubs in Europe

Eleven clubs recorded operating profits exceeding €50m, with Real Madrid, Inter and Manchester United on top of the ranking.

The biggest losses were reported by Chelsea and three French clubs: Lyon, Marseille and Strasbourg.

The Premier League is by far Europe’s leading league, also in terms of commercial income, with €2.38 billion, followed by Germany with €1.5 billion, Spain with €1.2 billion, and Italy with around €860 million.

Luckily, Serie A also sits fourth in Europe in terms of wage bill, slightly below €2 billion. Yet again, the Premier League tops the ranking with €4.8 billion, followed by Spain at € 2.4 billion and Germany at € 2.1 billion.

There’s no Italian team in the top 10 for revenues. Inter are the top Serie A side with €547m, followed by Juventus (15th) with €420m, and Milan (16th) with €411m.

Serie A ranks fourth also in terms of net equity, but 17 out of 20 clubs have a negative net equity, the worst performance in Europe.

Reports in Italy claim that Inter could listen to offers for Marcus Thuram, Denzel Dumfries, and even Nicolò Barella next summer, especially after their early Champions League exit.

The futures of three Inter stars are uncertain following a surprising Champions League knockout play-off exit.

Inter’s Champions League revenue in 2025-26

As reported by Repubblica, the Serie A giants’ financial plan for the current campaign included reaching the Round of 16, but their loss to Bodo/Glimt might force them to sell one of their stars to offset the financial loss.

Inter finished the 2024-25 financial year with a €35m profit, and to replicate that result, they should have already sold a top player, Repubblica wrote.

Inter earned €137m from the Champions League last season; this time, they reached €66m, and, obviously, there will be no Club World Cup to allow the Nerazzurri to raise a further €30m.

The Nerazzurri recorded €567m in revenue last season, a record for Italian football.

Which players will leave Inter in 2026?

Inter will surely lower their wage bill over the summer as the likes of Francesco Acerbi, Stefan De Vrij, Matteo Darmian and Henrikh Mkhitaryan are expected to leave at the end of their contracts in June.

Inter, however, might need more than that, and according to Repubblica, the Nerazzurri will likely listen to offers for Thuram, who has an €80m clause in his contract, and Dumfries, who has recently changed his agent.

According to Gazzetta, even Barella’s future is uncertain with the Nerazzurri considering his future after a disappointing campaign.

Galatasaray striker Victor Osimhen feels he ‘didn’t need’ to celebrate his decisive goal against Juventus, and it was ‘important’ to ‘respect’ an important person in his career, Luciano Spalletti.

Juventus beat Galatasaray 3-2 last night, but were still eliminated from the Champions League knockout play-off with a 7-5 aggregate loss.

The Bianconeri went 3-0 up in the 90th minute despite being reduced to ten men at the start of the second half.

Yet, Osimhen scored the decisive goal in extra time to pave the way for Galatasaray’s qualification.

The ex-Napoli star, however, didn’t celebrate his goal.

Juventus 3-2 Galatasaray: Osimhen’s post-match comments

“I didn’t need to do it. I think it was important to respect a man I care about who has had an important role in my career,” Osimhen told Prime Video Italia.

“Obviously, I’m talking about Spalletti. I didn’t feel the need to celebrate.

“We played badly, even when they went down to ten men, so there was no reason to celebrate. Even when I scored the decisive goal, I didn’t feel the need to celebrate. I’m not that type of player, one who tries to hide his emotions. I saw these people applauding Juventus for their performance. I can say I’m happy.”

“I have to be honest, I’m disappointed with the performance of the team, the whole team,” he said.

“I have to give kudos to Juventus for the kind of display. We qualified, but we have a lot to improve on if you have to go in the next one and play the big dogs. The performance wasn’t really good; Juventus deserved to win, but I’m happy my team qualified for the next one.”

Galatasaray will face Liverpool or Tottenham in the Round of 16. Atalanta are the only Serie A representative left in the competition and will face Bayern Munich or Arsenal in the next phase.

“I’m disappointed in the performance of the team.”

Victor Osimhen speaks candidly on Galatasaray’s scare against Juventus pic.twitter.com/7tPdmO2fqi

— CBS Sports Golazo (@CBSSportsGolazo) February 25, 2026

Juventus defender Federico Gatti insists the Bianconeri ‘threw the qualification away’ in the first leg against Galatasaray, but the reaction in Turin was ‘incredible’ despitean ‘absurd’ red card to Lloyd Kelly.

Juventus were eliminated from the Champions League knockout phase on Wednesday, despite a 3-2 home win over Galatasaray.

The Bianconeri had been reduced to ten men at the start of the second half, but still managed to reach the 90th minute three goals up.

The visitors, however, scored twice in extra time to progress to the Round of 16.

Gatti reacts to Kelly’s red card

“The problem is that we threw qualification away in the first leg, but tonight was an extraordinary performance,” Gatti told Amazon Prime Video Italia.

“The red card for Kelly seems absurd to me, us defenders are far too penalised by these rules. The reaction was incredible, the fans really helped support us too, but we were exhausted in extra time. We had got the game back on track down to 10 men, but we threw it all away in the first leg.

“It’s so disappointing, because the qualification is ultimately the only thing that counts, and we didn’t get the result we needed. It was an enormous performance, though. I’m so exhausted,” the defender continued.

“I was coming back from an injury and I am still not at 100 per cent, but the more I play, the better I’ll get.”

Did Luciano Spalletti say anything after the final whistle?

“No, we didn’t cross paths,” Gatti concluded.

Gatti scored Juventus’ second goal last night, but it was still not enough for the Old Lady to progress to the next phase.

Atalanta are the only Serie A representative to have qualified for the Round of 16, beating Borussia Dortmund 4-3 on aggregate. Tomorrow, Friday, February 23, La Dea will find out whether they’ll face Arsenal or Bayern Munich in the next phase.

La Gazzetta dello Sport

Dea of Italy, Juve deserve applause

Champions: impressive Atalanta, Spalletti down to ten men, comes close to the miracle

Borussia crushed: 4-1, Samardzic gifts the qualification to the Round of 16. Now Bayern or Arsenal. Draw tomorrow.

Chasing two trophies, Inter believe

Scudetto plus Coppa Italia. The double could be worth a treasure

Bologna, assalut to the Norwegians

Conference, Viola with Jagiellonia (18:45). Resume from 3-0.

Corriere dello Sport

Juve out, fantastic Dea

Champions, Galatasaray shocks the Stadium (3-2). Osimhen scores and doesn’t celebrate

How do you dare!

Victor takes the Round of 16 off Spalletti

Disastrous referee: Lucio was reduced to 10 men, but won 3-0 in the 90th minute. Then his ex-Napoli hitman eliminates him. Atalanta beat Borussia 4-1: now Bayern or Arsenal.

Inter, 60m burned

Oaktree does the math after the flop against Bodo

Dominating in the league, but they swerved in Europe: Chivu lost five games from ten, so the fund can determine a new cycle. It’s time for a great confrontation and investments

Another Norwegian: Bologna try

Piccoli, Viola start to enjoy it

Napoli, Conte finds Anguissa again

Roma push for Senesi’s yes

Tuttosport

Fantastic Dea

Scamacca, Zappacosta, Pasalic and Samardzic (penalty kick in the 98th minute after Adeyemi’s goal) put their names on a memorable feat. Percassi’s pride: ‘I’m moved, Palladino is a predestined.’ Arsenal or Bayern in the Round of 16: Draw tomorrow.

Thanks heroes

Juventus, down to ten men, came back against Galatasaray and surrendered only in extra time.

The absurd Kelly red card at the start of the second half doesn’t affect the Bianconeri who, one goal up thanks to Locatelli’s penalty, hit with Gatti and McKennie. Splendid game with heart, pride and attacking production, but Zhegrova incredibly fails the goal of 4-0. Osimhen, on the other hand, was ruthless and Yilmaz kills it off. The former Napoli striker scores, doesn’t celebrate, then waves to the Stadium crowd: a signal for the future?

Inter issues, a top player to leave, Barella is a case

The failed qualification for the Round of 16 will lead to a big sale: Dumfries, Bisseck and Thuram are suspected. The midfielder’s decline scares Gattuso, too.

Stadium, the mayor pushes Cairo

Bologna start from 1-0, but beware of the Norwegians…

Fiorentina, Round of 16 booked and rotations for survival

Atalanta are the only Serie A team left in the Champions League Round of 16 and will learn their next opponents, either Arsenal or Bayern Munich, on Friday.

Serie A have just one representative remaining in the Champions League Round of 16 following Inter and Juventus’ eliminations in the knockout play-off.

La Dea came back from two goals down against Borussia Dortmund, securing a memorable 4-1 win in Bergamo on Wednesday.

Inter suffered a 5-2 aggregate defeat against Bodo/Glimt, losing both matches, while Juventus nearly completed a comeback against Galatasaray but were eliminated with a 7-5 aggregate loss.

Defending Serie A champions Napoli had already been eliminated in the league phase.

Atalanta will face Arsenal or Bayern Munich in the Round of 16 and will know their next opponents on Friday.

The draw for the Round of 16, quarter-final and semi-final will take place on Friday, February 27 at 12:00 CET (11:00 GMT). The Europa League and Conference League draw will follow.

Champions League Round of 16 draw – rules and teams involved

“The eight winners of the two-legged knockout phase play-offs join the top eight sides from the league phase in the round of 16 draw,” UEFA said.

“The league phase top eight will be seeded for the round of 16 draw.”

Seeded (league phase top eight, ordered by league phase ranking)
Arsenal (ENG)
Bayern München (GER)
Liverpool (ENG)
Tottenham (ENG)
Barcelona (ESP)
Chelsea (ENG)
Sporting CP (POR)
Man City (ENG)

Unseeded (knockout phase play-off winners)
Real Madrid (ESP)
Paris (FRA)
Newcastle (ENG)
Atletico Madrid (ESP)
Atalanta (ITA)
Leverkusen (GER)
Galatasaray (TUR)
Bodø/Glimt (NOR)

The road to Budapest #UCL pic.twitter.com/6mpNCYADFP

— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) February 25, 2026

The clubs in each seeded pair are drawn into one of two positions in the round of 16 against the relevant winners of the knockout phase play-offs, whose position is determined by the knockout phase play-off draw.

Four bowls are prepared for the draw, with the balls containing the names of each pair of seeded teams placed in the corresponding marked bowls according to the league rankings.

The draw will allocate the side of the bracket for all the seeded teams, starting with the teams ranked 7/8 and finishing with the teams ranked 1/2.

One ball is drawn from the bowl containing the two relevant ranked teams (i.e., the teams ranked 7 and 8) and opened to reveal the team. The first team drawn from this bowl is placed in their reserved spot on the silver side of the bracket. The other seeded team of the pairing is then drawn and displayed, and allocated to the corresponding reserved spot on the blue side of the bracket. The same procedure is followed for the remaining seeded teams.

Champions League Round of 16 – Road to the Final

As the teams were positioned in the bracket by the draw for the knockout phase play-off and the round of 16, the ties and the order of matches have already been determined by the positions of the teams from the previous rounds.

The teams qualifying from the round of 16 follow the bracket path until the final, and, as in the previous rounds, the team in the bottom row of each match pairing will play the second leg of the relevant tie at home.

The winners of the semi-final on the silver side of the bracket will be designated as the nominal home team for the final.

Champions League Round of 16 draw – where to watch

The draw will be streamed live on UEFA.com, UEFA.tv and the official UEFA Champions League app. Football Italia will provide live updates via a live blog.

All Juventus fans at the Allianz Stadium gave the Bianconeri a standing ovation after Barış Alper Yılmaz scored the second goal for Galatasaray, eliminating the Serie A giants from the Champions League.

Juventus nearly completed a stunning comeback in the Champions League knockout play-off on Wednesday. Football Italia was among the accredited media in Turin tonight.

Juventus fans’ reaction to Champions League exit

Juventus levelled the score in regular time, going 3-0 up after a 5-2 loss suffered in Turkey a week earlier.

Victor Osimhen scored the first goal for Galatasaray in the extra time, and Alper Yılmaz finished it off with two minutes remaining, beating Mattia Perin on a counter-attack.

With just a few seconds left to play, all the Juventus fans at the Allianz Stadium stood up to give a standing ovation to the players who had been reduced to ten men at the beginning of the second half when Lloyd Kelly was given a straight red card.

Most of the supporters then walked out of the stadium, only to be insulted by the ultras in Curva Sud, who called their fellow fans “crappy.”

Ultras remained in the stands beyond the final whistle and continued to chant for the team.

Check out the player ratings for Juventus’ 3-2 win over Galatasaray, which, however, was not enough for the Bianconeri to qualify for the Round of 16 of the Champions League.

Juventus 3-2 Galatasaray player ratings

Perin 6.5 – Not too busy during the match, but still made a couple of decent saves.

Kalulu 8 – Provided the assist for Gatti’s goal, the second one for Juve, and was superb defensively (108′ Openda N/A).

Gatti 7 – Gave Juventus hope with the second goal of the night, but was slightly out of position when Osimhen scored the decisive goal for Galatasaray.

Kelly 4 – Forget the red card. The Englishman had had a bad game already, both defensively and in the build-up.

McKennie 9 – Honestly, I’ve never seen a footballer play as a left-back, left winger and centre forward in the same match. The USMNT star did so and with incredible quality, too. He scored the third goal and provided the assist for Zhegrova, but the Kosovo international miserably failed all alone in front of the goalkeeper.

Koopmeiners 6.5 – A great performance, first in midfield and then in defence, after Kelly was sent off. The Dutchman provided the assist for McKennie, but was sloppy in the build-up to Osimhen’s goal.

Locatelli 8 – Another big performance for the Italian midfielder, who recovered possession 13 times (via Sofascore), won 11 duels and had 85% passing accuracy (108′ Kostic N/A)

K Thuram 7 – Subbed off after missing a goal all alone in front of the goalkeeper. It would have been the 3-0 that McKennie scored just a few minutes later. Thuram wouldn’t know, and he was in tears when he arrived on the bench. Aside from that, he put in a solid performance with four recoveries and four duels won.  (77′ Adzic 5.5)

Conceicao 6.5 – His dribbling and pace caught the eye, as usual, but he still lacked the final touch, which is not a detail. (68′ Zhegrova 4.5 – He missed a huge, huge chance that could have won the game for Juve. Truly incredible.)

David 5 – No presence inside the box and a big chance missed right before the break. The substitution felt inevitable. (68′ Boga 5).

Yildiz 7 – No goals or assists, but he turned on the light every time he had the ball. Unlucky not to score in the first half. He ended the game limping, but played over 100 minutes. Heroic. (110′ Miretti N/A)

Coach: Spalletti 8 – He transformed Juventus after four defeats in the last five games. They put on the pitch all they hadn’t shown against Como: desire, pride, determination and quality. Juventus were aggressive and took risks all over the pitch. The referee didn’t help them, and the Bianconeri were eventually eliminated. It hurts, but Spalletti is surely proud of his players.

Galatasaray: Cakir 7; Sallai 5 (59′ Boey), Sanchez 6, Bardakci 5.5, Jakobs 4.5; Torreira 5 (103′ Singo 6.5), Lemina 6.5 (87′ Icardi 5.5); Alper Yilmaz 6, Gabriel Sara 5.5 (71′ Gundogan 6), Lang 5.5 (59′ Sané 5); Osimhen 7. Coach: Buruk 5.

Juventus defender Lloyd Kelly received a straight red card at the beginning of the second half of a Champions League match against Galatasaray as he ‘endangered the safety of his opponent.’

English defender Kelly was shown a straight red card at minute 48 of a Champions League knockout play-off second leg.

Why was Kelly sent off in Juventus vs. Galatasaray?

The Bianconeri were one goal up, but needed two more to level the score after a 5-2 defeat in Turkey last week.

Kelly went for an aerial duel with Alper Yilmaz and appeared to accidentally land on his opponent’s ankle.

The Juventus defender was already on a yellow card and was shown a second one, but Portuguese referee, Pinheiro, was still urged to the pitchside monitor to review the incident and ultimately decided to show a straight red, infuriating Luciano Spalletti and Juventus players.

UEFA then explained: “Juventus player, No. 6, using his studs, made a strong, unfair contact with the opponent’s left ankle, which clearly endangered the safety of his opponent.”

Kelly stormed off the pitch in anger and kicked a wall as he headed towards the tunnel.

Football Italia is among the accredited media at the Allianz Stadium tonight. You can follow the live action as it happens on the Football Italia live blog.

Lloyd Kelly receives a straight red card after VAR review for a challenge on Yılmaz @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/9v1LiIvVJJ

— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) February 25, 2026

Atalanta star Gianluca Scamacca says La Dea ‘felt we could turn it around’ as their comeback against Borussia Dortmund was ‘unpredictable for those from the outside.’

Atalanta striker Scamacca spoke to Sky Sport Italia following an extraordinary 4-1 win over Borussia Dortmund, which sent La Dea to the Round of 16 with a 4-3 aggregate win.

Scamacca scored the opening goal after just five minutes, and Lazar Samardzic netted the winner from the spot at minute 98.

Atalanta vs. Borussia Dortmund – Scamacca’s post-match comments

“We had a strong start,  but we felt we could turn it around,” Scamacca told Sky Sport Italia.

“We believed until the end, and those who were introduced were just as good as the starters because they made the difference. This is a historic feat, one of the biggest ones in Atlanta’s history.

“We did something extraordinary. We had to make up for the poor performance in the first leg,” continued the Italian striker.

“Now the good part comes. Tomorrow there’s a day off, and then we’ll think, as always, game by game.”

The draw for the Champions League Round of 16 will take place on Friday, February 27, and Atalanta will face either Arsenal or Bayern Munich.

“Perhaps it was unpredictable for those from the outside, but we know our worth,” Scamacca added.

“We know that, when we play our style of football together, we can get great satisfaction.”

Atalanta coach Raffaele Palladino has transformed the team, winning 15 of 23 games since his appointment at the start of November.

“The coach has given us a lot. He has given us great energy and an important push,” said Scamacca.

“We have rediscovered ourselves and understood we were on the right track.

“Our fans were crucial. As Palladino had said, 23,000 pushed us. They are always our 12th man, home and away, and we thank them for this.”

Atalanta return to the pitch on Sunday, facing Sassuolo away in Serie A Round 27.

The Nerazzurri sit 7th in the standings, five points below a Champions League spot.

Italy legend Alessandro Costacurta admits he ‘didn’t believe’ in Atalanta’s comeback against Borussia Dortmund and draws a parallel between Mario Pasalic and Franco Baresi.

Atalanta shocked Borussia Dortmund on Wednesday night, beating the Bundesliga side 4-1 in Bergamo to qualify for the Champions League Round of 16 with a 4-3 aggregate win.

Costacurta compares Pasalic to Baresi

It was an epic night in Bergamo as La Dea scored the winner with a penalty kick at minute 98.

“It’s an extraordinary feat. I admit I didn’t believe in it, but they put in a fantastic performance, a feat,” ex-Italy and Milan defender Costacurta told Sky Sport Italia.

“It’s not something every team can do. They’ve entered an elite, especially after such a performance,” the ex-defender continued.

“Pasalic has to be highlighted. It had been since the days of Franco Baresi in 1994 that I hadn’t seen a player take a team by the hand the way he did.”

Juventus director Giorgio Chiellini admits the Bianconeri’s task against Galatasaray is ‘almost impossible’, but the Bianconeri ‘need to score a goal, then we’ll see.’

Juventus host Galatasaray in the second leg of the Champions League knockout play-off tonight.

They must recover from three goals down after losing 5-2 in the reverse fixture played in Turkey last week.

Football Italia is among the accredited media in Turin tonight. You can follow the build-up and live action as it happens on the live blog.

Juventus vs. Galatasaray – Chiellini’s pre-match interview

“This is a game where we need balance above all else,” Chiellini told Amazon Prime Video Italia.

“The atmosphere in the stadium is electric; all it takes is a little spark to get something more out of these fans. There were some jeers after the Como defeat, but this crowd is behind us.

“It is an almost impossible task tonight, but these games sometimes are needed to change the momentum of a season. They can change with just a spark, it’s up to us to stay in the match and try to light it,” Chiellini continued.

“I think we need the right energy, that extra bit of determination to win a tackle that can fire up the fans too. We are in a stadium that cannot wait to light up and it’s up to the players to try something incredible.

“The result of the first leg isn’t entirely accurate, there isn’t a three-goal gap between these teams, but they deserved it with that performance, and we’re curious to see if we can score and get this game on the right track early.

“Clearly, we need a performance beyond the norm to turn this around. If we want to win, I expect something special. We’ve got the players who can do it.

“The objective is to score a goal and then we’ll see. You mustn’t think about the 5-2 result, but about making it 1-0. It’s going to be about duels, about the challenges with Osimhen, fighting to get those situations that can turn it around.”
Juventus history

“I think we need to transform the disappointment of the first leg into something historic, because overturning a 5-2 defeat would be historic.”

Luciano Spalletti explains that Juventus’ absentees and Galatasaray’s quality on the wings prompted him to play Weston McKennie at left-back, and insists the whole team’s quality, not just a single player, might help the Old Lady recover from three goals down.

Juventus host Galatasaray in the second leg of the Champions League knockout play-off tonight, following a 5-2 loss suffered in Turkey last week.

Juventus vs. Galatasaray – Spalletti’s pre-match comments

Football Italia is among the accredited media in Turin tonight. You can follow the build-up and live action as it happens on the live blog.

Andrea Cambiaso and Juan Cabal are suspended, so Spalletti has picked Weston McKennie as a left-back.

“When he plays behind a centre forward, he can act where he prefers, but tonight we have a different need,” Spalletti told Prime Video Italia via TMW.

“They have strong wingers in one-on-one situations, and we have absentees that led us to play him there.

“Feats like those we’d need tonight are built on the quality of the whole team and the attitude as the game develops, not on an individual’s quality,” Spalletti concluded.

Kenan Yildiz is not fully fit, but starts as a left winger, while Gleison Bremer has recovered from a minor muscle injury but initially goes on the bench, making room for Federico Gatti and Lloyd Kelly in central defence.

Juventus have lost four of their last five games across all competitions, and next Sunday they’ll visit Roma in Serie A.

Atalanta directors have once again refused to meet their Borussia Dortmund counterparts for an institutional lunch organised by UEFA following a transfer dispute over Samuele Inacio, who joined the Germans from Bergamo in 2024.

Atalanta directors have once again snubbed a UEFA lunch with Borussia Dortmund executives today, hours before a second-leg Champions League knockout play-off, Sky Sport confirms.

Why Atalanta are upset with Borussia Dortmund

The same happened last week, before the first-leg tie in Germany, which the Bundesliga side eventually won 2-0.

There’s bad blood between the two clubs following the transfer of promising striker Samuele Inacio from Atalanta to Borussia Dortmund in 2024.

Inacio, now 17, is a product of the Atalanta academy. has scored nine goals in 21 games with Borussia Dortmund II this term.

Atalanta saw ‘lack of respect’ from Borussia Dortmund

Inacio is the son of former Atalanta striker Inacio Pia.

Atalanta CEO Luca Percassi explained last week that there had been a “serious lack of respect” from the German side, which prompted La Dea executives to snub their institutional meeting with their counterparts.

Today’s match kicks off at 18:45 CET (17:45 GMT) at the Gewiss Stadium in Bergamo.

Former Italian coach Fabio Capello feels Serie A clubs are ‘not accustomed’ to playing at a high pace domestically, so they struggle in the Champions League: ‘It’s hard to be dangerous.’

Serie A table leaders Inter were knocked out of the Champions League play-off on Tuesday, losing 2-1 at home to Bodo/Glimt.

The Nerazzurri had already lost 3-1 in Norway last week.

Capello comments on the state of Serie A

Capello, a former Milan, Juventus and Roma coach and a 1993-94 Champions League winner with the Rossoneri, examined issues of Italian clubs in Europe during Sky Sport Italia’s post-match show on Tuesday.

“Italian teams play at a slow pace. When they find teams that play press-and-run, they don’t have the quality, aren’t accustomed to playing at a high pace, and make mistakes,” Capello said.

“This is the key. Right now, we are not accustomed to being aggressive. As soon as they increase the pace in Serie A, they are stopped because a challenge is too hard, a player’s ear is touched, and they go down. These are the results. We play at a slow pace, unfortunately, and when it happens, it’s hard to be dangerous.”

Napoli were eliminated in the Champions League group stage, while Juventus and Atalanta play today, but face tough tasks ahead.

The Bianconeri host Galatasaray at the Allianz Stadium in Turin after a 5-2 loss in Turkey last week, while Atalanta meet Borussia Dortmund in Bergamo following a 2-0 defeat in Germany.

Bologna and Roma are still involved in the Europa League, while Fiorentina are Serie A’s only representative in the Conference League.

Former Juventus midfielder Claudio Marchisio feels Kenan Yildiz is the only Bianconeri player who can turn the result around against Galatasaray tonight, but the Bianconeri must rebuild a strong core of Italian players in 2026-27: ‘Sandro Tonali would be excellent.’

Juventus host Galatasaray in the second leg of the Champions League knockout play-off tonight after suffering a 5-2 loss in Turkey last week.

“For a night like this, the ideal man would be Tevez. Spalletti would need his shake,” Marchisio, a former Juventus star, told Gazzetta.

“It will be tough to recover from three goals down without conceding, especially given the moment Spalletti’s team is going through, but Juventus must believe. It’s the Champions League.”

Juventus have lost four of their last five matches across all competitions, and tonight they’ll need to win by three goals to send the game to extra time.

This past Saturday, they suffered their first home defeat since March 2025, losing 2-0 against Como.

“On this Champions League night, the most important thing is to show Juventus’s soul and personality,” Marchisio said.

“I was at the Stadium on Saturday, and they lacked the fundamental qualities to wear the Bianconeri shirt: personality and an understanding of moments. I didn’t hear anyone shouting: ‘Wake up, there’s the season at stake.’ The collapse in Istanbul in the second half and the defeat against Como worried me. It’s about the mentality.

“Yildiz is the only one who can turn Galatasaray around,” Marchisio continued.

“Kenan is worth 50% of Juventus, and unfortunately, the opponents have understood it. McKennie’s late runs will also be important.”

Juventus are said to be interested in Manchester City midfielder Bernardo Silva as a free agent; would the Portuguese be a good acquisition for the Bianconeri?

Marchisio: Juventus should sign Tonali as Donnarumma ‘out of reach’

“Football changes, but the clubs’ DNA doesn’t. Juventus have always had a core of Italian players, and they must rebuild it,” noted Marchisio.

“Donnarumma seems out of reach, having just joined Manchester City. Tonali seems more feasible; he’d be an excellent starting point, but patience is needed.”

Giorgio Chiellini, a club legend and former teammate of Marchisio, is now a director at Juventus.

“He suffers because he loves Juventus, but Giorgio experienced even worse moments as a player,” concluded Marchisio.

“We finished seventh for two seasons in a row. Chiellini was fundamental on the pitch, and the same is true now to transmit personality and mentality to the team.”

According to Sportitalia, Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri is considering his future at the club beyond the summer, being unhappy with the transfer market and the management.

Sportitalia reports that Allegri’s future at Milan is uncertain, as the coach is assessing his future at the club.

Allegri considers leaving Milan at the end of the season

According to the report, there are many reasons behind Allegri’s discomfort, including confusion within the club and unsatisfying transfer campaigns.

Sportitalia editor Michele Criscitiello claims that the relationship between Allegri and Milan hit a new low after disappointing results against Como and Parma.

This, however, doesn’t mean that the coach has already decided to leave the club.

Allegri will reportedly make his assessments in the coming months before deciding whether to continue beyond the summer.

The Italian tactician is contracted with the Rossoneri until June 2027, but the agreement includes an option to extend for a further campaign.

Milan sit second in the Serie A table, 10 points behind their city rivals, Inter.

Juventus defender Pierre Kalulu reveals he ‘turned off the phone’ after receiving a red card against Inter, but that defeat did not affect the Old Lady in the following match against Galatasaray: ‘It would look like we are looking for excuses…’

Juventus defender Kalulu reveals he turned off his phone after a 3-2 loss to Inter two weeks ago to avoid further controversy.

The Frenchman received a second yellow card and was sent off for a foul on Alessandro Bastoni, but replays showed that the Inter star had gone down too easily, prompting the red card for his opponent.

Kalulu: ‘I turned off the phone’ after red card vs. Inter

“I turned off the phone so as not to fuel controversy,” Kalulu told L’Equipe.

“Many spoke about it, but in the end, the ban was confirmed. It was better to leave everything behind, but I don’t think it affected the game against Galatasaray. It would look like we are looking for excuses, but we just had a bad game.”

Following their 3-2 loss against Inter, Juventus lost 5-2 in the Champions League knockout play-off against Galatasaray and then again 2-0 against Como in Serie A.

Kalulu, however, has been one of Juventus’ most consistent players this season, having already made 36 appearances.

“I want to continue like this. Only the pitch gives you credibility in front of your teammates,” he said.

“Opponents must be studied so they are pushed to do things they are not accustomed to. You have to know how to anticipate them by two or three moves, a bit like in chess. The goal is to be the best, not just to defend well.

“The national team is the ultimate level for a player,” Kalulu concluded.

“It’s a childhood dream and a privilege. I feel ready for the World Cup.”

A former Milan and Lyon defender, Kalulu is under contract with Juventus until June 2029.

Arrigo Sacchi feels ‘some questions need to be asked’ of Italian football after Inter, the strongest team in the country, were eliminated from the Champions League by Bodo/Glimt.

Inter were surprisingly knocked out of the Champions League knockout play-off last night, losing 2-1 at home to Bodo/Glimt. The Nerazzurri had also lost the first leg 3-1 in Norway last week.

Sacchi: I had a lot of confidence in Inter

“I admit I had a lot of confidence in Inter. I believed they could get through the round for three reasons: one, their technical superiority; two, the good form of Chivu’s team; and three, the push from the San Siro crowd,” Sacchi wrote in his column for Gazzetta dello Sport.

“Instead, all these reasons, based on logic rather than just support for an Italian team, went up in smoke. Bodo/Glimt knocked Inter out, and the verdict is decidedly sensational considering the qualitative value, spending power and revenue of the two clubs.

“Italy’s strongest representative, the one that reached the final last season and has the most well-equipped squad to compete in a tournament like the Champions League, ends up being punished,” Sacchi continued.

“I remain convinced that Inter threw it away in the first phase, when, after a run of four consecutive victories, they made life difficult for themselves by losing three matches in a row and securing a play-off spot in the final round. The advantage built up at the start should have been managed better.

“The fact remains that a Norwegian side eliminated the strongest team in Italy: perhaps modern football has become more level (downward), but some questions need to be asked. How the Nerazzurri have a 10-point lead to defend in order to win the league. It does not seem like an especially demanding task, given the path of those chasing them, yet the bitterness of this elimination risks compromising the rest of their campaign.”

Serie A’s remaining representatives in the Champions League, Juventus and Atalanta, play today, but face challenging tasks.

La Dea need to come back from two goals down in a home match against Borussia Dortmund, while Juventus host Galatasaray in Turin following a 5-2 loss in Turkey last week.

Gianluca Scamacca is expected to lead the Atalanta attack against Borussia Dortmund in the second leg of the Champions League knockout play-off.

It kicks off at 18:45 CET (17:45 GMT) at the Gewiss Stadium in Bergamo. Borussia beat La Dea 2-0 in the first leg played in Germany last week.

Charles De Ketelaere and Giacomo Raspadori are unavailable for the Nerazzurri, so Lazar Samardzic and Nicola Zalewski will start as attacking midfielders behind the sole striker, Scamacca.

According to Gazzetta and Sky Sport Italia, Atalanta coach Raffaele Palladino will confirm the defence that beat Napoli last weekend with Giorgio Scalvini, Isak Hien and Sead Kolasinac starting in a three-man backline.

Davide Zappacosta and Lorenzo Bernasconi will start on the flanks with Marten De Roon and Ederson in the middle of the park.

Following their 2-0 loss in Germany last week, Atalanta will need a win by two goals to send the game to extra time.

Atalanta vs. Borussia Dortmund – where to watch on TV

The match will be broadcast live on TNT Sports 3 in the UK and Ireland and on Paramount+ in the USA. Football Italia will provide live updates via a liveblog.

Atalanta vs. Borussia Dortmund – probable line-ups

Atalanta (3-4-2-1): Carnesecchi; Scalvini, Hien, Kolasinac; Zappacosta, De Roon, Ederson, Bernasconi; Samardzic, Zalewski; Scamacca.

Borussia Dortmund (3-4-2-1): Kobel; Anton, Schlotterbeck, Bensebaini; Ryerson, Nmecha, Bellingham, Svensson; Brandt, Beier; Guirassy.

Juventus’ second-choice goalkeeper Mattia Perin will replace Michele Di Gregorio for a Champions League match against Galatasaray, while Weston McKennie will start as a left-back.

It kicks off at 21:00 CET (20:00 GMT) at the Allianz Stadium in Turin. It’s the second leg of the Champions League knockout play-off.

The Serie A giants lost the first leg 5-2 in Turkey, so they need a win by three goals to send the game to extra time.

Dusan Vlahovic and Arkadiusz Milik are injured, while Andrea Cambiaso and Juan Cabal are suspended, so McKennie will start as a left-back in a 4-3-3 system.

Kenan Yildiz is not fully fit, but according to Italian sources, including Gazzetta and Sky Sport, the Turkish talent is still expected to start.

Gleison Bremer has recovered from a minor muscle injury, but Federico Gatti remains the favourite for a starting spot at the back.

Former Napoli star Victor Osimhen will start up front for Galatasaray.

Juventus vs. Galatasaray – where to watch on TV

The match will be broadcast live on TNT Sports 3 and TNT Sports 5 in the UK and Ireland and on Paramount+ in the USA. Football Italia will be among the accredited media at the Allianz Stadium and will provide live updates via a live blog.

Juventus vs. Galatasaray – probable line-ups

Juventus (4-3-3): Perin; Kalulu, Gatti, Kelly, McKennie; Koopmeiners, Locatelli, K. Thuram; Conceiçao, David, Yildiz.

Galatasaray (4-2-3-1): Cakir; Sallai, Sanchez, Bardakci, Jakobs; Torreira, Lemina; Yilmaz, Sara, Lang; Osimhen.

La Gazzetta dello Sport

Juve need a miracle

Mission (im)possible

Stadium: h21 against Galatasaray to turn around a heady 5-2 loss.

Dea try

All on Scamacca: he’s the anti-Borussia

No excuses

Inter, farewell to the Champions League: Bodo win at San Siro too

The Nerazzurri make a bad impression. Predictable and hardy dangerous team

The Norwegians go to the Round of 16. Chivu’s disappointment: ‘We were never competitive.’

Cairo launches D’Aversa: ‘The situation must be turned around.’

Jashari close to Modric: Milan’s move, double playmaker.

Corriere dello Sport

Inter disaster

Champions, enormous disappointment. Bodo win at San Siro too (2-1).

Faded

Chivu out in the play-off: forget the comeback

Akanji’s mess: the ex-Milanista Hauge hits again. The Swiss hits the post. Useless siege. Evjen doubles the lead. Bastoni narrows the gap. From two finals in three years to a disastrous collapse.

Juve, it’s worth 15m

Spalletti chases the Round of 16: ‘We ask for help from our fans, it’s a difficult moment.’ Yildiz and Bremer recover. Osi: ‘Here in the future? Who knows…’

Assault Scamacca, Ederson surprise

Mou’s silence agitates the Bernabeu

Max changes Milan’s direction

Just two points less than Pioli in the Scudetto year. Fullkrug’s future at stake in 12 games

Conte in 12 points: Champions to be tied down

Verona, Lecce, Torino and Cagliari before the break to book the qualification. Hojlund chases goals. He has scored in just 5 Serie A games so far.

Tuttosport

Club, stadium, team: Cairo is cornered now

Remember, you are Juventus

Tonight against Galatasaray for a three-goal comeback

Chasing a rare feat to qualify for the Round of 16. Spalletti picks a 4-3-3 system with McKennie as a left-back. ‘It’s a difficult moment, but with our fans, we can make it.’ For Vlahovic,, there’s a Yildiz-style contract ready.

Inter’s humiliation: 20m vanish

An incredible mistake from Akanji paves the way to Hauge, who then provides the assist for the 2-0. The comeback attempt is stopped after Bastoni’s goal. Farewell to the Champions League before the Round of 16 comes with a high cost.

Osimhen calls: ‘Playing for Juve would be a privilege.’

Bergamo pushes Atalanta

Fans blame the referees: ‘And Inter are helped.’

Referee chief Dino Tommasi admits Napoli’s second goal against Atalanta should have stood, but it was correct to revoke a penalty kick for the Partenopei following a VAR check.

Dino Tommasi, a member of the Italian referee-appointing committee, has issued a verdict on the controversial incidents that occurred during Napoli’s 2-1 loss against Atalanta on Sunday.

Referee chief gives verdict on Atalanta vs. Napoli incidents

The Partenopei had a penalty kick revoked in the first half following a VAR check, and referee Daniele Chiffi also ruled out their second goal scored by Miguel Gutierrez after the break.

The referee’s decision infuriated the Partenopei, who sent director Giovanni Manna in front of the media to complain.

Tommasi, however, believes that the penalty kick in the first half was rightfully revoked.

“It’s a correct decision; it’s not a foul. Hojlund goes for the contact while Hien stands still,” Tommasi told DAZN via Gianluca Di Marzio.

“Chiffi was very well positioned but had the wrong feeling. Then he corrected himself with the review. Aureliano and Di Paolo at VAR worked well.”

On the other hand, the decision to rule out Napoli’s second goal for Hojlund’s foul on Hien was deemed incorrect.

“Hojlund steals a march on Hien; it’s too little to consider it a foul,” Tommasi said via ANSA.

“It’s an on-field mistake, but the referee’s central role is important. With a correct decision on the pitch, everything would have been different. In this match, Chiffi maintained a very high technical threshold, blowing the whistle very little, even on significant challenges. He let the play continue, whereas he noticed that in the first stance, the penalty incident and this one, he lowered the threshold considerably.”

Napoli’s loss to Atalanta leaves the Partenopei in third position in Serie A, level on 50 points with Roma.

Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan reportedly turned down an offer from Juventus, despite the Bianconeri proposing a higher salary than Milan.

Transfer expert Matteo Moretto reports that Juventus opened talks with Milan goalkeeper Maignan at the end of 2025 to sound out a possible free transfer in the summer.

Maignan prioritised Milan over Juventus

According to the report, Juventus directors contacted Maignan’s entourage between November and December and were ready to offer a salary slightly higher than the one he earns at Milan.

Maignan, however, took his time, reiterating that his priority was to stay with Milan, and ultimately signed a new deal through 2031.

According to Moretto, the new Maignan deal is technically valid until 2030, with an option for a further campaign that Milan can activate.

Bayern Munich contacted Maignan between September and October, but didn’t make another attempt afterwards, while Chelsea had held talks in the summer.

It remains to be seen whether Juventus will make changes between the sticks next season, as Michele Di Gregorio has been highly criticised in recent weeks.

The Bianconeri have suffered 13 goals this season from the first shot on target.

Second-choice goalkeeper Mattia Perin was very close to returning to Genoa in January, but Juventus refused to let him go, also because there was a gap between their demand and Genoa’s offer.

Perin has remained in Turin until the end of the season, but there are “concrete” chances to see him leave the club at the end of the season, Moretto said.

Matteo Moretto reports that Paulo Dybala’s entourage is in talks with Boca Juniors, as Roma haven’t yet offered the Argentine a new deal, while Marcos Senesi’s free transfer to the Olimpico from Bournemouth appears unlikely.

Transfer expert Matteo Moretto reports that Roma star Dybala is in talks with Boca Juniors through his entourage.

Roma’s uncertain Roma future

La Joya’s contract expires at the end of the season, and Roma have yet to decide whether to offer the Argentine a new deal.

According to the report, Roma are considering a contract extension at a lower salary, but the two parties haven’t yet begun talks. Both sides are taking time to assess future options.

Dybala’s future at the club is highly uncertain, with an exit more likely than an extension at this stage, according to Moretto.

The player’s camp has been in talks with Boca Juniors directors for several weeks, and the feeling is that the Argentine has entered the final months of his spell at Roma with a return to Argentina on the cards.

Senesi’s Roma move unlikely

Roma and Dybala will meet in the coming weeks to make a mutual decision about the future.

There’s also an update on Bournemouth defender Senesi, who is available for a free transfer at the end of his contract in June.

Roma are among the clubs interested, but according to Moretto, there is “no chance” of the Giallorossi signing Senesi, who has received offers from other clubs as well.

Kevin De Bruyne has returned to Naples to continue his recovery and told Napoli fans he’d return to action ‘soon.’

Napoli star De Bruyne returned to Naples on Sunday, February 22, after spending the last few months abroad, where he completed the initial phase of his rehabilitation from a severe muscle injury.

De Bruyne returns to Naples

The Belgium internatinal underwent surgery in Antwerp at the end of October after suffering a high-grade tear of the biceps femoris in the right thigh.

As reported by CalcioNapoli24, De Bruyne landed at Naples’ Capodichino Airport on Sunday.

Napoli confirmed De Bruyne’s return to the training centre on Monday “to continue and complete his recovery.”

Upon arriving in Naples yesterday, De Bruyne reportedly told Napoli fans that he felt “well” and that he would “be back soon.”

When will De Bruyne return to action?

The 34-year-old will now continue his recovery in Naples, but is not expected to return to action before April.

The former Manchester City star has scored four goals and provided two assists in 11 appearances across all competitions this season.

Bodo/Glimt coach Kjetil Knutsen ignores Inter’s complaints about the Norwegian side’s home turf: ‘Manchester City didn’t even mention it.’

Bodo/Glimt have travelled to Milan for the second leg of the Champions League knockout play-off against Inter.

The Norwegian side earned a 3-1 win over the Nerazzurri last week, so they’ve come to Milan to defend a two-goal lead in the decider.

Inter had complained about Bodo/Glimt’s artificial turf even before last week’s match. The Serie A table leaders not only lost their game last week but also saw their captain and top scorer, Lautaro Martinez, suffer a muscle injury that will sideline him for a month.

“There’s nothing I can do about it. We must only focus on what we can control,” Knutsen said at a pre-match press conference on Monday via TMW.

“City didn’t even mention the field, and neither are we accustomed to the San Siro turf. I keep the focus on something else. To me, it’s not smart to talk about other contexts that don’t concern football, but what others do is not important to me.”

Back in January, Gigio Donnarumma’s Manchester City had lost 3-1 away to Bodo/Glimt in the Champions League group stage.

Bodo/Glimt also beat Atletico Madrid in the previous stage of the competition and recently received praise from ex-Liverpool coach Jurgen Klopp.

“Klopp is a great man and coach, I’m happy with his compliments, but I think about Bodo/Glimt,” said Knutsen.

“I want the players to focus on the game, and I must do the same.”

Federico Dimarco feels ‘obliged’ to help Inter qualify for the Champions League Round of 16, but he’d prefer to qualify for the World Cup with Italy rather than win the European Cup with the Nerazzurri.

Inter host Bodo/Glimt at San Siro in the second leg of the Champions League knockout play-off on Tuesday.

The Nerazzurri must come back from two goals down, having suffered a 3-1 away loss in Norway last week.

Inter vs. Bodo/Glimt – Dimarco’s pre-match interviews

During his pre-match press conference (via FcInter1908), Dimarco discussed Inter’s tactical approach for tomorrow’s match.

“Obviously, quite attacking,” he said.

“We are down two goals. We must pay attention to their counterattacks as they’ve been lethal in other Champions League games this season.

“First of all, we must think about scoring, then we’ll see how the game goes. The first thought will be to make the comeback as soon as possible.”

Dimarco has contributed to 21 goals across all competitions this season, scoring six times and providing 15 assists and praised his coach Cristian Chivu: “He’s given me a lot of advice since the start of the year.

“We must try, we are Inter. We must play this match as we have in other Champions League matches we’ve played in recent years,” Dimarco continued.

“The same goes for the national team. We’ve missed the last two World Cups, and we are obliged to try.”

The national team was also mentioned during Dimarco’s interview with Sky Sport Italia when the Italy star was asked to choose between winning the Scudetto or the Champions League with Inter or qualifying for the World Cup with the Azzurri.

The left wing-back smiled and replied: “Please, let me pick two: Scudetto and qualification for the World Cup.”

Inter coach Cristian Chivu hit back at a Norwegian journalist during a pre-match press conference today: ‘We respect Bodo/Glimt, you don’t respect us.’

Inter coach Chivu was not happy with the attitude of a Norwegian reporter who asked him whether Inter should feel ashamed if they are eliminated by Bodo/Glimt from the Champions League knockout play-off.

Chivu appeared irritated as he quickly responded to the journalist, removing his headphones to hear the translation.

Chivu hits back at Norwegian reporter

“Yeah, you even laugh. Congratulations,” Chivu said.

“Nothing is shameful in football. In football, there’s work from a club and a team, on one side and the other, and we have to accept and respect the opponent, given that you don’t respect us by calling us this way, saying that we must be ashamed to lose against such a team, against a city with 50,000 citizens.

“We have great respect for what Bodo has done against us, but also in Madrid and against City and Dortmund. We respect our opponents and congratulate them on the good things they’ve built in recent times.

“When you have clear ideas, you can bring something nice forward. But we are not ashamed, because we tried to be the best version of ourselves last week, when they were better than us, and we congratulated them.”

Chivu already said during his pre-match interview with Sky Sport Italia that his players should not feel pressured to score more than two goals tomorrow.

The Nerazzurri lost 3-1 away in Norway last week and will be looking to turn the result around on Tuesday at San Siro.

During his press conference, Chivu also spoke about Alessandro Bastoni’s state of mind following recent controversies.

“We had a bad week, but I’m proud of what the lad did on the pitch,” said the Inter coach.

“It was not easy to play that game without being influenced. Now we are focused on the future and on the next match.”

Asked whether Inter players would need extra motivation for tomorrow’s match, Chivu replied: “I didn’t listen to my coaches, neither before nor after a game. I relied on my thoughts, my sense of responsibility, and my confidence. I was more worried about not letting my teammates down. Had I listened to my coaches more, I’d have earned something more. There’s no need to motivate them; they know how important this game is.”