2002–03 Juventus F.C. season

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player 20 MF Davide Baiocco (on loan to Piacenza) 24 DF Emiliano Moretti (on loan to Modena)

No. Position Player 33 DF Mattia Cassani (to Sampdoria)

All three North Italian clubs succeeded in Europe. Along with the two Milan clubs, Juventus were one of the three Italian sides who appeared in the semi-finals that season. Juventus knocked out the only remaining non-Italian team, Real Madrid, to set up an all-Italian final with Milan, who had beaten Inter in the other semi-final. The final, played at Old Trafford in Manchester, ended 0–0, with Milan winning on penalties. Normally reliable goalscorer David Trezeguet was among the players who fluffed their attempts.

It was Juventus's best run in the competition since the 1997–98 season, where they had also been beaten finalists. However, the Bianconeri's run to the final actually involved a lot of tough moments. After impressing in the first group stage, topping their group (which included Feyenoord, Dynamo Kiev and Newcastle) and conceding just 3 goals in 6 games (the best defence of all 32 teams competing), Juventus struggled in the second group stage.

Drawn in Group D alongside FC Basel, Deportivo La Coruña, and Manchester United, Juventus were beaten by Manchester United both at Old Trafford and at home at the Delle Alpi, and also lost to Basel in Switzerland. Eventually, they scraped by as group runners-up, behind Manchester United.

More epic games awaited them, with Barcelona next on their agenda. While struggling in their domestic league, Barcelona had impressed in both group stages, topping their group every time and establishing a new record of nine consecutive wins in the competition. The first leg of the quarter-final in Turin finished 1–1, Javier Saviola's 78th-minute goal equalising Paolo Montero's early goal. Barcelona appeared to be in a fine position heading into the second leg at the Camp Nou. There, Pavel Nedved scored first for Juventus, but the Catalans soon equalised through Xavi. When Edgar Davids was sent off for repeated fouling the Bianconeri were seemingly doomed, but they held on until extra time; with six minutes left on the clock, substitute Marcelo Zalayeta scored a second goal. 10-man Juventus qualified for the semi-finals, following a spirited performance.

Even tougher opposition was awaiting them in the following round. Real Madrid had won three of the previous five editions of the competition and presented a star-studded squad with players such as Iker Casillas, Roberto Carlos, Luís Figo, Raúl, Ronaldo and former Juventus playmaker Zinedine Zidane. They had imperiously seen off the challenge of Manchester United in the quarter-final and were in search of their 10th Champions League title.

The first leg was played in Madrid on 6 May. Real Madrid scored with Ronaldo, but David Trezeguet equalised. The second half saw Roberto Carlos grab a second goal for the home side.

In the return leg on 14 May, Juventus set out to attack and were rewarded for their efforts with just 12 minutes gone. A fine collective move saw Gianluca Zambrotta cross from deep for Alessandro Del Piero, who headed back into the six-yard box for David Trezeguet to smash home. Just before half time, Alessandro Del Piero beat Iker Casillas at his near post with a well-placed shot. Del Piero thus maintained his tradition of scoring key goals against Real Madrid, having already done so as a 21-year-old in a 1996 quarter-final tie.

Real Madrid earned a penalty after 65 minutes, but Gianluigi Buffon saved Luís Figo's effort, thus keeping his side's two-goal advantage. On 73 minutes, Pavel Nedvěd made it 3–0, but he received a yellow card for a rash challenge in the closing minutes of the match, meaning he would miss the final through suspension. On 89 minutes, Zidane, playing on the pitch which had been his home for five seasons, pulled one back for Real Madrid, and the match ended 3–1, Juventus qualifying to the final.

For the league title, Nedvěd was considered the key player, also winning the European Player of the Year award. With 5 goals scored, he was, with Alessandro Del Piero, the club's joint top goalscorer in the Champions League.

Gianluigi Buffon, Lilian Thuram, Ciro Ferrara, Edgar Davids and Alessandro Del Piero all made key contributions to the squad, but the biggest surprise was Mauro Camoranesi. Signed from Hellas Verona in the summer of 2002, the Argentinian-born midfielder adapted with ease to his new surroundings, and was one of the club's best players for the first seven months of the season. In April and May 2003, he suffered from a slight loss of form, which didn't change the fact that he had hugely contributed to a positive season for the club.

2001–02 topscorer David Trezeguet suffered from a knee injury in pre-season practice. He recovered strongly from this setback, but his absence gave the opportunity to Marcelo Zalayeta and Marco Di Vaio to play more games than would be expected, with Zalayeta in particular scoring some key goals.