Kenan Yildiz Welcomed and Melted the Soul of Galatasaray's "Lions"

Galatasaray is known as the team with the most violent fan base, often terrorizing home Champions League matches. However, in recent decades, the "Aslan" or "Lions" supporters will soften their stance to welcome Juventus in the first leg of their Champions League round of 16 playoff match on Wednesday, February 18, 2026, at 12:45 a.m. WIB (Western Indonesian Time) at RAMS Park Stadium in Istanbul.

The open attitude of Galatasaray supporters is not due to their good ties with Juventus. The rivalry between the two teams actually emerged after the turn of the millennium.

"The Great Lady" has always succumbed to the terror of Galatasaray supporters. In addition to suffering defeats in the previous two visits, Juve has also never scored a goal in away matches against Galatasaray.

However, Juve is no longer a stranger to Galatasaray supporters. By the end of the 2010s, Juve became increasingly beloved by football fans in Turkey thanks to the recruitment of Merih Demiral, the central defender of the Turkish national team, and Cristiano Ronaldo.

Today, Turkish love for the Old Lady remains consistently high. According to a 2022 Socios survey, the percentage of Turkish football fans who support Juve is on par with Manchester United, PSG, and Bayern Munich. These teams are estimated to be loved by around 11-12 percent of Turkish football fans.

They're second only to the Spanish giants, Real Madrid and Barcelona. Real Madrid is favored by around 18 percent of Turkish fans, while Barcelona is around 16 percent. Unsurprisingly, in Italy, Juve is the most popular team among Turkish fans.

Turkey's immense love for Juve is also influenced by the arrival of Kenan Yildiz, the new superstar of Turkish football alongside Arda Guler at Real Madrid. Interestingly, Yildiz has been given a far higher place than Guler.

If Guler is still overshadowed by Kylian Mbappé, Vinicius Jr, Jude Bellingham, and Federico Valverde in terms of influence and salary, Yildiz has already been appointed as the new icon of Juve. Born in 2005 like Guler, Yildiz is already in his second season wearing the sacred jersey number "10" at Juve.

I want to play against all the best teams in the competition.

In addition, Yildiz has just signed a contract extension with Juve until 2030. He is now the highest-paid player at the Old Lady.

Unlike Guler, who graduated from the Turkish club academy, Fenerbahce, Yildiz was born and raised in Germany and educated at Bayern Munich. This allows the Turkish football public to set aside local club rivalries when discussing Yildiz.

Galatasaray coach Okan Buruk stated that his team will face a difficult match against Juve, which has several great players. Buruk explicitly mentioned that Yildiz is a very valuable player for Juve.

"We will try to stop Kenan (Yildiz). He is our national pride," Buruk said, as reported by Soccernet.

Yildiz will pose the greatest threat to the right-wing defenders of Galatasaray, for instance, Sacha Boey or Kaan Ayhan, who take turns occupying that position.

Fatih Terim, the legendary former coach of Galatasaray and the Turkish national team, is also eager to see Yildiz face the Aslan squad at RAMS Park. According to Terim, Yildiz is the face of the future of Turkish football.

"Is he (Yildiz) the best player in Turkey? His career is still in its early stages, but he is the future star of Turkish football alongside Arda Guler," said Terim, who propelled Galatasaray to win the UEFA Cup in 1999-2000.

Meanwhile, Yildiz is enthusiastic about making his official debut in his ancestral land. Previously, he visited Turkey to represent the Turkish national team since joining the U-17 squad in 2021.

In the midst of the potential for an emotional match, Yildiz maintains a professional demeanor as he prepares for the duel against Galatasaray. The most important thing for him is to help La Vecchia Signora advance to the knockout stage of the Champions League.

"It makes no difference to me who I face. I want to play against all the best teams in the competition," Yildiz said, as quoted by 24 Saat Gazetesi.

Juve's Football Strategy Director Giorgio Chiellini hopes that Luciano Spalletti's squad can deliver their best performance in Istanbul. Juve's goal, he continued, is to bring home an advantage to play the second leg at home in Turin.

"They're a strong team with extraordinary players. The game isn't over in Istanbul, but we have to get a good result to play at home," Chiellini told Sky Sport Italia.

"We must play our own style of play. This is to exploit the weaknesses of the opponent and limit the great potential of their players. Therefore, we are not only thinking about attacking," he stated subsequently. (AP)