Sports
Galatasaray thrash Juventus 5-2 in Champions League playoff clash
Galatasaray staged a stunning comeback to beat Juventus 5-2 in the UEFA Champions League round of 16 playoff, overwhelming the Italian side with a four-goal second-half surge.
The hosts opened the scoring in the 15th minute when Brazilian midfielder Gabriel Sara calmly finished after a defensive error from the Italian side. Juventus, deploying Weston McKennie as a makeshift false nine due to attacking absences, responded swiftly. Teun Koopmeiners equalized after Pierre Kalulu’s header was saved, tapping in the rebound to make it 1-1.
The Dutch midfielder struck again on 32 minutes, completing a neat one-two with McKennie before driving the ball home to give the visitors a 2-1 lead at halftime.
Galatasaray shifted momentum early in the second half as Dutch winger Noa Lang brought the score level, capitalizing after Juventus were forced into defensive changes following injuries to Bremer and Andrea Cambiaso.
The Turkish side then surged ahead on the hour mark when Colombian defender Davinson Sanchez headed in his first-ever Champions League goal. Juventus’ hopes of mounting a comeback faded further when substitute Juan Cabal was sent off after receiving a second yellow card.
Galatasaray continued to press their advantage. Lang, who joined on loan from Napoli in January, punished more defensive lapses in the 75th minute, and Sacha Boey, back on loan from Bayern Munich, sealed the emphatic result with a powerful fifth goal.
The return leg will be played in Turin next Wednesday, with the winner set to face either Liverpool or Tottenham Hotspur in the round of 16. The draw to confirm the matchup is scheduled for Feb. 27.
Elsewhere, three additional first-leg ties were set for Tuesday, including defending champions Paris Saint-Germain visiting Monaco, record winners Real Madrid traveling to Benfica weeks after losing in Lisbon, and Borussia Dortmund hosting Atalanta. The Dortmund match was delayed by 15 minutes due to the late arrival of the home team bus.
Four more first-leg matches are scheduled for Wednesday.
Coco Gauff came to Dubai focused on forehands and footwork. Instead, the world No. 5 found herself fielding questions about unrest at home.
Speaking Sunday ahead of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships, the 21-year-old American said she remains proud of her country while condemning the January killings of Renée Good and Alex Pretti in Minneapolis.
“I’m proud to be an American,” Gauff said. “But everything going on in the U.S., obviously, I’m not really for it. I don’t think people should be dying in the streets just for existing. I don’t like what’s going on.”
Good, a 37-year-old poet and mother of three, was fatally shot by an ICE agent earlier in January. Weeks later, Pretti, a 37-year-old intensive care nurse, was killed during a protest tied to that shooting.
Their deaths ignited demonstrations in Minneapolis and beyond, intensifying debate over U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and federal use of force.
Gauff is the latest high-profile American athlete to step into that debate.
Winter Olympian Hunter Hess said earlier this month that wearing the U.S. flag does not mean endorsing everything happening in the country. His remarks drew a sharp response from Donald Trump, who criticized him on social media.
On the WTA Tour, Madison Keys voiced hope that the country can reunite around values rooted in diversity and immigration.
Top-ranked American man Taylor Fritz took a different path. He declined to comment, saying any quote could be pulled into headlines and become a distraction in the middle of a tournament.
Gauff understands that choice. She insists athletes have the right to stay silent. She simply will not.
“The biggest thing I hate is when people say stay out of it when we’re being asked about it,” she said. “If you ask me, I’m going to give you my honest answer.”
For Gauff, the issue runs deeper than a news cycle. Her grandmother was the first Black student to attend a previously all-white public school in Delray Beach, Florida, in 1961 and later became an activist. That family history shapes how she approaches questions about justice and equality.
“I lived this,” Gauff said. “This is literally my life. I’m OK answering tough questions.”
Mike Tyson and Floyd Mayweather Jr. have reached an agreement to stage an exhibition bout on April 25, 2026, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, with Kinshasa expected to host the event.
If finalized, the fight would return global prizefighting to the same city that staged the iconic 1974 “Rumble in the Jungle,” where Muhammad Ali stunned George Foreman and etched his name into sporting folklore.
More than five decades later, two of boxing’s most polarizing figures are poised to headline a nostalgia-fueled spectacle in that same historic setting.
Tyson, 59, remains one of the sport’s most magnetic figures.
The former heavyweight champion owns a 50-7 record with 44 knockouts, but he has not won a professional fight since 2003.
His most recent outing came in November 2024, when he dropped an eight-round decision to Jake Paul in a Netflix-streamed event that drew massive global viewership. Even in defeat, Tyson proved he can still command attention.
Mayweather, 48, retired undefeated at 50-0 after defeating Conor McGregor in 2017. Since then, he has turned exhibitions into a lucrative second act. He most recently faced John Gotti III in August 2024, marking his eighth exhibition since leaving the professional ranks. For Mayweather, these events are business ventures wrapped in showmanship, carefully controlled and risk-managed.
The matchup was first floated publicly in September 2025, though details were scarce and competing rumors cast doubt on whether it would materialize. At one point, Mayweather was linked to other potential exhibitions abroad, fueling uncertainty.
Tyson put that speculation to rest in a recent interview, confirming the bout is moving forward. He framed it as a challenge he could not ignore, suggesting Mayweather initiated the idea.
While contracts are still being finalized, officials in the Congo have welcomed the prospect of hosting another globally watched boxing event. The historical symmetry is obvious. In 1974, Ali reclaimed the heavyweight crown in sweltering Kinshasa. In 2026, two aging icons from different eras and weight classes would step into the ring not for titles, but for spectacle, nostalgia and sizable paydays.
Competitive stakes will be secondary. As an exhibition, the bout is expected to feature modified rules designed for safety and entertainment rather than rankings or legacy shifts. Yet the intrigue lies in the contrast. Tyson, the former heavyweight destroyer known for early-round knockouts. Mayweather, the defensive tactician who built an unbeaten career on precision and patience.
Real Madrid moved to the top of La Liga after Barcelona were beaten 2-1 by Girona in a Catalan derby at Montilivi on Monday night.
The result leaves Madrid on 60 points after 24 matches, two ahead of Barcelona, who missed the chance to reclaim first place and suffered back-to-back defeats in all competitions for the first time since October.
Barcelona began with urgency and control. Hansi Flick welcomed back key players and his side dominated possession early, stretching Girona’s compact shape and probing down both flanks. Raphinha came close when he struck the post after cutting inside, and Lamine Yamal was denied from close range by goalkeeper Paulo Gazzaniga.
Girona, content to sit deep and counter, targeted Barcelona’s high defensive line. Bryan Gil’s pace caused problems on the left, and Vladyslav Vanat found space behind the back four, only to be thwarted by Joan Garcia.
The pivotal moment arrived in first half stoppage time. After Dani Olmo was fouled in the box, Yamal stepped up to take the penalty. His effort hit the upright and bounced clear. Barcelona had struck the woodwork twice and went into the break level at 0-0, a warning sign for a side that had failed to convert dominance into goals.
The breakthrough finally came in the 59th minute. From a short corner routine, Jules Kounde delivered into the area and Pau Cubarsi rose above his marker to power a header into the top corner. Barcelona appeared in control at 1-0.
That control lasted three minutes.
Girona responded immediately. Vanat’s cross created confusion inside the box and Thomas Lemar reacted quickest, finishing from close range to level the match at 1-1. The equalizer shifted momentum and lifted the home crowd.
Barcelona tried to regain composure but Girona sensed vulnerability. Garcia was forced into two outstanding one handed saves to deny Vanat and Joel Roca as the hosts pressed for a winner.
It arrived in the 87th minute. Claudio Echeverri drifted across the edge of the area before releasing Roca, who squared the ball into the path of substitute Fran Beltrán. The midfielder took a touch and drilled a low shot into the bottom corner, sending Montilivi into celebration.
Barcelona protested elements of the buildup, but the goal stood. Roca was later sent off in stoppage time for a reckless challenge on Yamal, yet the visitors could not capitalize on their late numerical advantage.
“We lacked a bit of everything,” Cubarsi said afterward. “After we scored, we allowed them to respond too quickly. We have to improve and be more consistent.”
Girona’s victory ended a three match winless run and lifted them to 12th place on 29 points, level with Getafe. For Barcelona, the defeat was their fourth in the league despite boasting the division’s most prolific attack with 64 goals scored.
Madrid had set the tone earlier in the weekend. A 4-1 win over Real Sociedad extended their league winning streak to eight matches. Vinicius Júnior scored twice from the penalty spot, Fede Valverde added his first league goal of the season and Thibaut Courtois made key saves to protect the lead. Kylian Mbappe, nursing minor knee discomfort, was left on the bench but was not required.
Madrid’s record now stands at 19 wins, three draws and two defeats, with 53 goals scored and only 19 conceded. Their consistency has contrasted with Barcelona’s recent defensive lapses and missed chances.
Houston Rockets’ center Alperen Şengün became the first Turkish player to appear in the NBA All-Star Game twice, reinforcing his place among the league’s elite and carving out another milestone for Turkish basketball.
In the first All-Star Game under its revamped format, the USA Stars rolled past the USA Stripes 45 to 21 in Sunday night’s final, with Anthony Edwards earning MVP honors.
Yet for Türkiye, the spotlight fell firmly on Şengün, who once again carried his nation’s flag onto the game’s biggest midseason stage.
Impact beyond minutes
Şengün logged just nine minutes across his appearances, but he squeezed meaning out of every second.
In the tournament opener, he needed only three minutes to collect four rebounds and dish out two assists. Quick off his feet on the defensive glass, he pushed the ball with confidence and dictated tempo in transition.
In his next outing, he added one point, one rebound and two assists in six minutes. Scoring was secondary. Playmaking was the message. The 23-year-old orchestrated possessions, found cutters and spaced the floor with the poise of a seasoned floor general.
He closed his All-Star campaign with five rebounds and four assists. Modest numbers on paper. Noticeable influence on the court.
Speaking at Media Day at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California, Şengün reflected on how quickly expectations have changed.
Last year, he said, the moment felt new. This time it felt necessary.
“It means something to me that people in Türkiye wake up at four or five in the morning to watch,” Şengün said. “Last year I was more excited because it was my first time. This year I told myself I have to be here. Not being here would have been a disappointment.”
That shift in mindset speaks volumes. Şengün is no longer content with participation. He expects presence.
He also stressed how much it meant to share the stage with family, including his older brothers and his first coach. For a player who grew up far from the NBA spotlight, those moments carry weight beyond the hardwood.
Eyes on bigger goals
Şengün did not shy away from ambition. One of his long-term targets is guiding Türkiye back to the Olympic stage in 2028.
Asked which Olympic sport he might have excelled in, he smiled and said swimming, noting he spent much of his childhood in the water because his father was a fisherman.
Even amid All-Star festivities, his focus extends beyond exhibition games. It stretches toward national duty and sustained NBA relevance.
The weekend was not without noise. Screenshots circulated from a fake social media account falsely attributed to Kevin Durant, containing inflammatory comments about Şengün and other NBA figures, along with remarks referencing Israel and drones.
The messages were widely identified as fabricated and did not originate from Durant. The incident briefly stirred online debate but had no bearing on the All-Star event itself.
Turkish trailblazer
Two straight All-Star selections confirm what Rockets fans have watched all season. Şengün is no longer a promising prospect. He is a franchise cornerstone, a creative big man who blends rebounding, vision and scoring instincts in a way few centers can replicate.
For Turkish basketball, his second All-Star appearance is more than a personal triumph. It is proof that the pipeline can produce players who do not just reach the NBA stage, but belong there.
At center court on one of basketball’s brightest nights, Kyrie Irving let his outfit do the talking.
The Dallas Mavericks guard arrived at the 2026 NBA All-Star Game wearing a black shirt stamped with a single word in bold white letters: “PRESS.” Beneath it, a tag carried a message: “Dedicated to our beloved journalists in Gaza showing the world the truth.”
Irving, 33, was not in uniform for the showcase at the Intuit Dome, home of the Los Angeles Clippers, but his presence courtside drew as much attention as any highlight. The shirt echoed the protective markings worn by reporters in conflict zones, turning All-Star Weekend into a stage for a tribute.
The gesture honored Palestinian journalists killed while covering the war in Gaza, a conflict that press freedom groups describe as one of the deadliest periods for media workers in recent memory.
Online discussions surrounding Irving’s appearance cited figures surpassing 200 journalists killed since hostilities escalated.
The apparel came from Wear The Peace, a brand that says it channels proceeds toward humanitarian causes linked to Palestine. Irving’s choice quickly spread across social media, igniting praise and criticism in equal measure.
This was not a one-off statement. In November 2023, Irving appeared at a postgame news conference wearing a black and white keffiyeh, a symbol widely associated with Palestinian solidarity.
He has repeatedly used public settings to spotlight Gaza, blending basketball celebrity with political expression.
Irving’s activism has long invited scrutiny.
He served a suspension in 2022 over unrelated social media controversy, yet he has also earned support from those who see him as an athlete willing to risk backlash to speak on global issues.
Turkish champions Galatasaray step back into familiar yet rare territory on Tuesday, hosting Juventus in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League playoff with a place in the last 16 on the line and decades of history swirling around them.
It will be the 27th time Galatasaray face Italian opposition in Europe and the seventh meeting with Juventus.
The Istanbul side have long measured themselves against Serie A heavyweights.
Their overall record against Italian clubs reads eight wins, eight defeats and 10 draws, with 32 goals scored and 38 conceded. Balanced numbers, but rarely dull nights.
Seventh date
Galatasaray and Juventus first crossed paths in September 1998 in Turin, a 2-2 draw that set the tone for a competitive rivalry. In six previous meetings, Galatasaray hold the edge with two wins, three draws and one defeat, scoring nine and conceding seven.
Juventus have never won away to Galatasaray. That detail will echo around RAMS Park.
The most iconic chapter came in December 2013.
A snowstorm in Istanbul forced the decisive group match to be halted after 33 minutes and resumed the following day.
In near whiteout conditions, Wesley Sneijder struck in the 85th minute to seal a 1-0 win, sending Galatasaray into the knockout rounds and dropping Juventus into the Europa League.
It remains one of the most dramatic European nights in the club’s modern history.
Gateway to glory
Italian opposition have shaped Galatasaray’s greatest continental triumph.
In November 1999, needing victory to stay alive in Europe, they beat AC Milan 3-2 in Istanbul to clinch third place in their Champions League group and qualify for the UEFA Cup.
That campaign ended with Galatasaray lifting the trophy, still the pinnacle of Turkish club football.
At home, they have built a fortress against Serie A sides. Galatasaray have not lost to an Italian team on their own turf since 1963.
In 12 subsequent home games against Italian visitors, they have recorded eight wins and four draws, scoring 20 and conceding 12.
Momentum meets expectation
This will be Galatasaray’s 200th European Cup match and their first Champions League knockout appearance in over a decade.
Coach Okan Buruk, a member of the 2000 UEFA Cup-winning squad, has restored domestic dominance with three straight league titles and now chases a breakthrough in Europe.
Despite a shaky league phase that included a 2-0 defeat to Manchester City, Galatasaray advanced and arrive in form. They have won four straight matches in all competitions, scoring 15 goals.
Captain Mauro Icardi has hit five in that stretch, including a hat trick in a 5-1 league win over Eyupspor.
Victor Osimhen, closing in on the club’s single-season Champions League scoring record, has found the net in five of his last six league appearances.
Buruk must decide whether to unleash both forwards from the start or add midfield control.
Juventus seek knockout revival
Juventus, twice European champions, reached this stage for the 10th time in 12 seasons but carry scars.
They have lost their last five knockout ties in the competition. Their league phase ended with a goalless draw in Monaco, finishing 13th with 13 points.
Since Luciano Spalletti’s arrival in November, they are unbeaten in five and have tightened defensively, keeping three straight clean sheets.
Yet away form remains a concern. They collected just five points from four away matches in the league phase and have stumbled domestically in recent weeks, including a 3-2 defeat to Inter in the Derby d’Italia.
Against Turkish sides, Juventus have five wins, three draws and two defeats in 10 games. Notably, all nine goals they have conceded to Turkish opposition came against Galatasaray.
With Dusan Vlahovic and Arkadiusz Milik sidelined, Juventus may rely on Jonathan David up front, supported by Kenan Yıldız, who has been one of their most creative sparks in Europe this season.
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