UEFA Cup / Europa League Titles

Lore & Background

In the annals of Juventus, the UEFA Cup reads like a ghost story. Two decades later, the ghosts returned; in 1984, they faced their greatest European rival, Liverpool again, only to suffer another aggregate defeat despite a valiant home victory. The most agonizing chapter arrived in 2005 at Lisbon's Alvalade Stadium. Under pouring rain, David Trezeguet gave them hope with an early strike, but the Dutch side PSV Eindhoven equalized and eventually prevailed on penalties, leaving the Bianconeri to stare at a trophy that refused to be theirs.

In Their Own Story

The Lisbon rain fell in sheets that May night in 2005, blurring the floodlights inside the Estádio José Alvalade. Inside, the roar of the Juventus faithful was a wall of sound, but it couldn't drown out the rising panic as the clock ticked past ninety minutes. David Trezeguet had ignited a spark, giving them a lead against PSV's green and white. But football is cruel; the equalizer arrived when hope was thickest, shattering the dream in the second half. As the referee pointed to the spot for the decider, a heavy silence descended upon the Bianconeri section—a sound heavier than any defeat in Turin. They walked away with silver dust on their boots and nothing but the memory of what could have been.

Reader's Guide

Juventus has contested three UEFA Cup finals, a testament to their enduring presence in Europe's second-tier competition during eras of fierce continental rivalry. The first encounter was the 1972–73 season against Liverpool FC. After drawing both legs at home and away, the tie went to a replay at Anfield, where a single goal sealed a 1-0 defeat, marking the start of a painful history with English opposition in this tournament. The second final came in 1984, once again against Liverpool. Juventus secured a vital 2-1 victory at the Stadio Olimpico but succumbed to a 1-0 loss on Merseyside, falling short on aggregate and missing their first European silverware outside the Cup Winners' Cup. The most recent and stinging failure occurred in the 2004–05 final against PSV Eindhoven. In a dramatic clash at Alvalade Stadium, Juventus took an early lead through David Trezeguet before PSV leveled in the second half. The match went to penalties, where the Dutch side triumphed 3-1. Despite reaching three finals, the club has never lifted this trophy, leaving it as the only major European competition they have yet to conquer.

Did You Know?

• Juventus is one of the most decorated clubs in history with multiple Champions League titles, yet remains the only club to have won the UEFA Cup/Europa League zero times despite reaching three finals.
• In the 2005 final, Juventus became the first team in European history to lose a final via penalty shootout after having led on aggregate for part of the match.
• Despite never winning the trophy, reaching three finals places Juventus among the most frequent finalists in the tournament's entire history.