Juventus' 1985 European Cup victory was somewhat hollow due to the Heysel tragedy, but this should not distract from the wonderful team that was built here. The Italian team had advanced to the final two years prior, paving the way for southern European clubs to win the Cup for the first time since 1969. Playing a typical Italian sweeper system, the team possessed a strong defence and contained the nucleus of the 1982 World Cup-winning Italy team, but it was the Frenchman Platini and Pole Boniek who injected attacking flair and a touch of genius.

Coach: Giovanni Trapattoni

Trophies: 1 European Cup (1984-85), 1 European Cup Winners’ Cup (1983-84), 1 Serie A (1983-84), 1 UEFA Super Cup (1984), 1 Intercontinental Cup (1985)

Star Players: Michel Platini, Zbigniew Boniek, Rossi, Dino Zoff, Marco Tardelli, Claudio Gentile, Gaetano Scirea

In the 1980s, the Trapattoni era was extremely successful, and the team began the decade by winning the league title three more times by 1984. Juventus had now won 20 Italian league titles and were entitled to wear a second golden star on their shirts, making them the first and only Italian team to do so. The club's players were garnering a lot of attention at the time, and Paolo Rossi was awarded European Footballer of the Year after helping Italy win the 1982 World Cup, where he was crowned Player of the Tournament.

Juventus won the European Cup Winners' Cup in 1983-84 with the help of Domenico Penzo and Zbigniew Boniek. Juventus defeated Porto in the final of the European Cup Winners' Cup in the 1983–84 season. The European Cup was added to the club's collection of European titles the following year. They were also crowned Serie A winners at the end of the season. They were unable to retain their Serie A title the next season, finishing sixth in the league. They did, however, win the European Cup that season.

The final of the 1984-85 European Cup was played on May 29, 1985, at the Heysel Stadium in Brussels, Belgium, between Liverpool of England and Juventus of Italy. It was the final match of the European Cup, Europe's premier cup competition, for the 1984–85 season. The defending champions, Liverpool, were in their fifth final, having won the competition in 1977, 1978, 1981, and 1984. Juventus was making their third appearance in the European Cup final, having lost both of their previous outings in 1973 and 1983. Juventus qualified for the competition by winning Serie A in 1983–84, becoming them the Italian champions. Ilves of Finland were their first-round opponents.

Juventus won the first leg 4–0 at the Ratina Stadion in Finland, thanks to a hat-trick from Paolo Rossi and a goal from Michel Platini. They won the second leg 2–1 at Stadio Comunale, and the contest was won 6–1 on aggregate. Juventus was drawn against Swiss team Grasshopper in the second round. Juventus won the first leg 2–0 in Italy and the second leg 4–2 in Switzerland to win the tie 6–2 on aggregate. Sparta Prague of Czechoslovakia was Juventus' quarter-final opponent. Juventus won the first leg 3–0 in Italy with two goals from Marco Tardelli, Paolo Rossi, and Massimo Brioschi.  They were defeated 1–0 in the second leg at Sparta's home ground, Letná stadium, but advanced to the semi-finals on an aggregate score of 3–1. Juventus faced Bordeaux in the semi-finals and won the first leg 3–0 in Italy, with goals from Zbigniew Boniek, Brioschi, and Platini. Bordeaux's home field, the Stade Chaban-Delmas, hosted the second leg. Bordeaux lost 3–2 on aggregate after dominating the match 2–0.

The disaster that transpired before the kick-off has overshadowed the final match. A fence separating the two groups of supporters was breached by Liverpool fans, who charged the Juventus fans. A retaining wall collapsed as a result of the crowds, killing 39 people and wounding hundreds more. Despite appeals for the match to be cancelled, the match was held due to a collective decision by authorities and organisers for public policy doctrine reasons after the city was put under siege. The disaster prompted UEFA to impose a five-year ban on English clubs playing in European competitions.

The first half was goalless in front of a crowd of 58,000. Michel Platini scored a penalty for Juventus in the 56th minute when Gary Gillespie was declared to have knocked down Zbigniew Boniek in the penalty area, despite the fact that the foul was committed approximately a yard outside the area and the referee was far from the action. The score stayed unchanged for the rest of the game, and Juventus won 1–0, claiming their first European Cup victory. Michel Platini, a Frenchman, was named European Footballer of the Year three times in a row in 1983, 1984, and 1985, a record.

Juventus became the first club in European football history to win all three major UEFA competitions in the same year, and after winning the Intercontinental Cup, the club also became the first, and so far, the only, club in association football history to win all possible confederation competitions. Trapattoni established himself as one of the best managers in football history during his time at Juventus, being well-known and revered among fans and media across Europe. He was known for his ability to combine great man-management with near-unrivaled tactical understanding.