Unlucky No. 7: Juve becomes 1st team to lose 7 European Cup finals

If Real Madrid is the Champions League's serial winner, Juventus is the tournament's hard-luck loser.

The Italian club lost its record seventh European Cup/Champions League final on Saturday, getting crushed 4-1 to a Madrid side that, in addition to claiming back-to-back crowns, extended its own record by capturing the title for a whopping 12th time.

Defeat at the Millennium Stadium for Massimiliano Allegri and Co. signals the fifth straight Champions League final appearance for Juventus to end with its players collecting runners-up medals. The Old Lady was also vanquished in 1997 (Borussia Dortmund), 1998 (Real Madrid), 2003 (AC Milan), and 2015 (Barcelona).

Only Bayern Munich and Benfica, who have each lost Europe's most prestigious contest five times apiece, come close to sharing the Bianconeri's pain. That said, the German club has also won the competition five times.

Boasting the stingiest defence and the most balanced squad in Europe, this felt like it was Juventus' best chance to end its lengthy losing streak.

Instead, it's once again a case of "maybe next year."