Koopmeiners: ‘Better a Juventus victory than 2 goals’ against Galatasaray | OneFootball

Teun Koopmeiners insists ‘it is better to win together as a team than score two goals’ as Juventus try to overturn their Champions League play-off with Galatasaray.

It kicks off at the Allianz Juventus Stadium at 20.00 GMT (21.00 CET).

You can follow all the build-up and action as it happens from this game and Atalanta vs. Borussia Dortmund on the Liveblog.

ISTANBUL, TURKEY – FEBRUARY 17: Juventus players pose for a team photograph prior to 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)

There is a mountain to climb after the 5-2 first leg defeat in Istanbul, which they had been leading 2-1 through a Koopmeiners brace, only to collapse completely after the Juan Cabal red card.

He is suspended here along with Andrea Cambiaso, plus Emil Holm, Dusan Vlahovic and Arek Milik injured, Gleison Bremer only fit for the bench.

Koopmeiners sees Juventus comeback

ISTANBUL, TURKEY – FEBRUARY 17: Teun Koopmeiners of Juventus celebrates scoring his team’s first goal with teammates 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)

“We have to push hard from the first minute. We need to score at least three goals, but also think about keeping balanced, so we need to do it all,” Koopmeiners told Amazon Prime Video Italia and Sky Sport Italia.

Juve have been in a crisis recently, scraping just one draw from their last five games in all competition.

That run saw them eliminated from the Coppa Italia quarter-final and slide down to fifth place in Serie A, ahead of this weekend’s showdown with Roma.

“We know that we can do better than in recent weeks, the important thing is to play with energy. I am happy to have scored two goals in the first leg, but it is better to win together as a team than to score a brace.”

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)

Michele Di Gregorio has been struggling with a series of howlers, so he is replaced by Mattia Perin this evening, while Weston McKennie fills in at left-back.

Although Bremer is not fully fit, Koopmeiners does remain in midfield rather than dropping into defence.

“I am a midfielder, everyone knows that, but if the coach needs me in defence to help out due to injuries, then I will do that. I have to do my best wherever I am played.”