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Galatasaray-Juventus Abandoned Due To Istanbul Snowfall (PICTURES)

Galatasaray-Juventus Abandoned Due To Istanbul Snowfall (PICTURES)
The Huffington Post UK

A severe Istanbul hailstorm forced the abandonment of Galatasaray and Juventus's crucial Champions League match on Tuesday.

Snow and hail began to seriously affect play after about 20 minutes and the game was ultimately suspended in the 33rd minute following discussions between UEFA delegates, Pedro Proença's refereeing team and both sets of players.

Groundsmen attempted to clear snow from the lines marking the pitch but the weather showed no sign of abating and brought an early end to proceedings.

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Juve and Gala players are halted by the deluge of snow

The reorganised match has been pushed back to a 1300GMT kick-off on Wednesday after a severe hailstorm interrupted the original winner-takes-all encounter in Istanbul.

The Italian champions needed to avoid defeat at the Türk Telecom Arena on Tuesday night to book second place in Group B and progression to the knockout stages, while a Galatasaray victory would have seen Roberto Mancini's men safely through to the last 16 alongside pool winners Real Madrid.

Gala were level on four points with FC Copenhagen going into Tuesday night's fixtures but have a better goal difference against the Danes, who lost 2-0 at home to already-qualified Madrid in the other group game.

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FBL-EUR-C1-JUVENTUS-GALATASARAY(01 of12)
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A worker clears the snow covering the field during the UEFA Champions League group B football match between Galatasaray and Juventus at the TT Arena Stadium in Istanbul on December 10, 2013. Heavy snowfall in Istanbul forced the abandonment of the match, competition organisers UEFA announced. AFP PHOTO/BULENT KILIC (Photo credit should read BULENT KILIC/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
FBL-EUR-C1-JUVENTUS-GALATASARAY(02 of12)
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Workers clear the snow covering the field during the UEFA Champions League group B football match between Galatasaray and Juventus at the TT Arena Stadium in Istanbul on December 10, 2013. Heavy snowfall in Istanbul forced the abandonment of the match, competition organisers UEFA announced. AFP PHOTO/BULENT KILIC (Photo credit should read BULENT KILIC/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
FBL-EUR-C1-JUVENTUS-GALATASARAY(03 of12)
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Galatasaray's Aurelien Chedjou (R) challenges Juventus' Kwadwo Asamoah as snow falls during the UEFA Champions League group B football match between Galatasaray and Juventus at the TT Arena Stadium in Istanbul on December 10, 2013. Heavy snowfall in Istanbul forced the abandonment of the match, competition organisers UEFA announced. AFP PHOTO/MIRA (Photo credit should read MIRA/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
FBL-EUR-C1-JUVENTUS-GALATASARAY(04 of12)
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Snow falls during the UEFA Champions League group B football match between Galatasaray and Juventus at the TT Arena Stadium in Istanbul on December 10, 2013. Heavy snowfall in Istanbul forced the abandonment of the match, competition organisers UEFA announced. AFP PHOTO/BULENT KILIC (Photo credit should read BULENT KILIC/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
FBL-EUR-C1-JUVENTUS-GALATASARAY(05 of12)
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Snow falls during the UEFA Champions League group B football match between Galatasaray and Juventus at the TT Arena Stadium in Istanbul on December 10, 2013. Heavy snowfall in Istanbul forced the abandonment of the match, competition organisers UEFA announced. AFP PHOTO/BULENT KILIC (Photo credit should read BULENT KILIC/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
FBL-EUR-C1-GALATASARAY-JUVENTUS(06 of12)
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Juventus' French midfielder Paul Pogba (L) runs with the ball in front of Galatasaray's Brazilian player Felipe Melo during the UEFA Champions League group B football match between Galatasaray and Juventus at the TT Arena Stadium in Istanbul on December 10, 2013. Heavy snowfall in Istanbul forced the abandonment of the match, competition organisers UEFA announced. AFP PHOTO/ OZAN KOSE (Photo credit should read OZAN KOSE/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
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Galatasaray and Juventus soccer players as their Champions League soccer match is disrupted by heavy snow, at the TT Arena Stadium in Istanbul, Turkey, Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2013. Tuesday's match was halted in the 31st minute with the score at 0-0 as hail and snow began to fall heavily in Istanbul. (AP Photo) (credit:AP)
(08 of12)
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Galatasaray and Juventus players stand on the pitch as their Champions League soccer match is disrupted by heavy snow, at the TT Arena Stadium in Istanbul, Turkey, Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2013. UEFA says the Champions League match between Galatasaray and Juventus has been abandoned due to bad weather. Tuesday's match was halted in the 31st minute with the score at 0-0 as hail and snow began to fall heavily in Istanbul.(AP Photo) (credit:AP)
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Soccer players of Galatasaray and Juventus stand on the pitch as their Champions League soccer match is disrupted by snow, at the TT Arena Stadium in Istanbul, Turkey, Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2013. (AP Photo) (credit:AP)
Gianluigi Buffon(10 of12)
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Juventus' goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon walks through the snow as their Champions League soccer match with Galatasaray was been abandoned after a snow storm caused the pitch to become unplayable at the TT Arena Stadium in Istanbul, Turkey, Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2013. (AP Photo) (credit:AP)
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Soccer players of Galatasaray and Juventus stand on the pitch as their Champions League soccer match is disrupted by heavy snow, at the TT Arena Stadium in Istanbul, Turkey, Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2013. UEFA says the Champions League match between Galatasaray and Juventus has been abandoned due to bad weather. Tuesday's match was halted in the 31st minute with the score at 0-0 as hail and snow began to fall heavily in Istanbul. (AP Photo) (credit:AP)
(12 of12)
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Soccer players of Galatasaray and Juventus stand on the pitch as their Champions League soccer match is disrupted by heavy snow, at the TT Arena Stadium in Istanbul, Turkey, Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2013. UEFA says the Champions League match between Galatasaray and Juventus has been abandoned due to bad weather. Tuesday's match was halted in the 31st minute with the score at 0-0 as hail and snow began to fall heavily in Istanbul. (AP Photo) (credit:AP)
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